Osei Assibey-Antwi
THE KUMASI Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has started some major projects aimed at improving quality sanitation, with emphasis on liquid waste management in the Kumasi metropolis.
The KMA, led by Osei Assibey-Antwi, has lined up several landmark sanitation projects, some of which have been constructed already, while others are in the pipeline to help boost sanitation in the city.
Sanitation Big Cash
Significantly, the KMA received UK£400,000 for placing first during a Sanitation Challenge for Ghana (SC4Gh) in 2019, and the assembly is using the prize cash to embark on these major sanitation projects.
The SC4Gh was jointly organized by the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, DFID, IRC-Ghana, Maple Consult and Ideas to Impact, and it was launched in 2015 and ended in July 2019 to help stimulate competition among the assemblies in the country.
KMA Effort
As part of the KMA effort to help improve liquid waste management in the city, the assembly has lined up several projects that would definitely improve the standard of sanitation in the city.
Oti Landfill Site
For instance, the assembly has planned in advance to apply for part of the whopping UK£400,000 to improve liquid waste stabilization pond at Oti Landfill Site through the desilting of ponds and storm drains.
The KMA would also construct concrete platform and headworks for direct discharge, installation of coupling hoses and gravelling of haul area of the site, which is the main dumping site for Kumasi and other areas.
4 Toilet Projects
Already, the KMA has used part of the fund to construct four modern 10-seater gender sensitive, disability-friendly institutional water closet toilets with mechanized borehole and overhead tank for some schools.
Each of four schools in Kumasi, including Bantama State Boys, St. Cyprian’s Cluster of Schools, Amankwatia School and Moshie Zongo Anyaano Cluster of Schools, benefitted from the toilet projects.
The assembly has also used part of the fund to buy Veronica buckets, hand gloves, mop equipment, boxes of carbolic soaps and toilet operations and maintenance manual, and donated the above-mentioned items to the schools.
Motorbikes
Again, the KMA has bought 15 brand new motorbikes for distribution to the five sub-Metro Environmental Health Sanitation Units to help facilitate their sanitation monitoring duties.
Sanitation Courts
The KMA would also use part of the fund to rehabilitate the two sanitation courts in the city and according to the KMA, the refurbishment of the courts formed part of the assembly’s general intention of improving household toilet environmental hygiene.
Asafo Sewage Treatment Pond
Also, part of the UK£400,000 would be channelled by the assembly into the construction of a fence wall around the Asafo Satellite Sewage Treatment Ponds to avert encroachment.
Household Toilet Registry
It also said it would use part of the fund to compile a household toilet registry and create awareness on household toilet types and the process of acquiring them.
Community Durbar
The KMA has also strategized to roll out several educational programmes, including the holding of community durbar to educate the public on proper sanitation and also organize periodic educational workshops for its environmental health officers.
Mr. Assibey-Antwi, speaking at separate functions to inaugurate the toilets, gave an assurance that the assembly would invest heavily in sanitation in the city, especially in liquid waste management and household toilet projects.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi