RESIDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS WASTE MANAGEMENT IN THE WA MUNICIPALITY

Abstract

Ghana like many other developing countries is faced with the challenge of waste management due to rapidly urbanizing cities and inefficient waste management systems. Many researchers have focused their work on the effect of land use and spatial planning on solid waste management and hardly on the perceptions and behavioural dimensions. This research was done to identify and assess the perceptions and attitudes that influence waste management in the Wa Municipality. The research used a mixed method (quantitative-qualitative) approach and a number of sampling procedures to select suburbs and household respondents. Simple random sampling was used in the selection of suburbs in the Wa Municipality. Systematic sampling was used in household selection where the first household is randomly selected and thereafter the ninth (9th) from the first selected is picked. A total of 360 household units were reached. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews. The research revealed that there has been inadequate education in waste management in terms of waste collection, storage, disposal, reuse and recycling. Also, the lack of punitive measures has become a disincentive to proper waste management practice. The researcher recommends that there is the need for more education, awareness campaigns and enforcement of the laws by the local authorities to positively influence the attitudes of residents. In conclusion the study observed that the knowledge, beliefs and perceptions of residents had an influence on their attitudes and waste management behaviour in the Wa Municipality. The study further concluded that efficient management of waste could be done through a combination of education and promotion of attitudinal change strategies and the provision of infrastructure that makes it easy, accessible and convenient for people to employ environmentally responsible and proper waste management practices.