Chorkor: Residents of Chorkor, a coastal community in the Greater Accra Region, have expressed concern over poor sanitation conditions in the area, citing choked gutters and open defecation as major contributors to flooding and disease outbreaks.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Andrews Nii Armah, a local fisherman, highlighted that rainwater often washed refuse into gutters, which were also used as dumping sites by some residents. Mr. Armah noted that this situation caused waste to overflow into homes and businesses, posing serious health risks. He pointed out the inaction despite repeated complaints about a gutter that starts from Kaneshie, passes through the community, and ends up in the sea, causing environmental damage.
Naa Lamiley, another resident, expressed concern about the worsening situation, emphasizing that both human activities and rainfall contributed to the poor state of sanitation in the area. Naa Shika, a fishmonger, admitted that indiscriminate waste disposal by some residents exacerbated the problem. She noted that dumping rubbish into the gutters during rain caused blockages, creating mosquito breeding grounds and increasing disease risks, calling for behavioral change among the citizenry.
Mr. Emmanuel Bodua, a staff nurse at the Presbyterian Hospital, Aburi, explained the health implications of poor sanitation, including the spread of diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and diarrhoea. Mr. Bodua noted that poor sanitation contributed to thousands of deaths annually and was a major cause of malnutrition and diarrhoeal diseases among children under five. Citing data from UNICEF, he said poor sanitation was linked to stunted growth and underweight conditions in children.
Mr. Bodua called for intensified hygiene education, including regular handwashing with soap and clean water at homes, schools, and health facilities. He also urged authorities to provide safe, private, and hygienic toilet facilities to help address the sanitation challenges.