INTERROGATING CHOLERA OUTBREAKS AND GENERAL WASTE MANAGEMENT PROBLEM OF GHANA: TOWARDS ACHIEVING A PERMANENT SOLUTION

Abstract

One of the major challenges facing Ghana is unsustainable waste management. Available data reveals that the country has recorded 13.6% instead of 53% with regards to MDG 7C in 2015. Also, the cost of waste management has risen to US$290 million per year (1.6% of GDP). Recently, cholera outbreaks have caused some deaths in the major cities of the country. Nonetheless, Ghana maintains the aim that the population needs to operate within a safe, clean and pleasant physical environment. A similar aim is to attain Sustainable Development Goal 6B by 2030. In order to achieve these objectives, the paper proposes the elevation of Environmental Health and Sanitation, a department which functions under the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to a status of ministry. The new ministry confronts the slow, stagnated and sometimes reversed progress in waste management. However, it is argued that the worrying trends can potentially be solved permanently by the new ministry.