Poor Maintenance Culture Affects Sewerage System
Thursday July 16, 2009
By Paul Akweterh Mensah & Sarah Magean
Currently the Korle Lagoon Sewage Treatment Works in the metropolis has been inactive and would require GH ¢700,000 to revamp it.
Mr. Enoch Laryea senior technician at the works revealed this when briefing the Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah on the sanitation management situation in the metropolis.
He said since the plant’s establishment in 2002 (at a cost of 22 million pounds sterling), no maintenance had been carried out on the equipment and as a result the plant started to deteriorate after four years.
Mr. Laryea added that the facility located close to the sea, started getting rusty because of high acidic content in the sea breeze, and as a result untreated liquid waste flows freely into the lagoon and the sea.
On his part, Mr. Ankrah expressed concern about the deplorable state of the facility and gave the assurance that government would take steps to address the problem.
He directed that the cost of repairs should be assessed and submitted to government for action to be taken as soon as possible.
The minister also took the chance to visit the Mallam Landfill site, the proposed landfill site at Kwabenya and the ‘Lavender Hill’, a septic waste discharge site at Korle Gonno, all in Accra.
Waste materials found at the Mallam landfill site could be easily recycled and decomposed, however, these methods are not in place but more landfill sites have been suggested.
At the proposed landfill site at Kwabenya, considered as a prime location for such activities, he stressed the need for community interaction to enable the people to appreciate and accept its development.
The Deputy Minister said the people need to be assured that the area will not become a dumping ground but instead an engineered landfill site.
He said the engineered landfill site is part of the Urban Environmental Sanitation Project, being sponsored by the World Bank.
Under this project five selected cities are to benefit from the construction of landfills to help in the effective management of solid waste.
The beneficiary cities are Tema, Takoradi, Tamale, Kumasi and Accra.
Posted under
Entertainment/Arts
Comments
Talking about maintenance,I believe the minister of Local government seen here needs some personal maintenance. He looks grossly over weight and needs to lose some weight to avoid any health related disaster. Afriyie Ankra seen here with a vanishing neck epitomize our culture that has complete disregard for maintenance.Phyisical fitness amongst our public and non-public officials is disheartening and I believe accounts for the sudden death and host of diseases affecting these figures.
It's unacceptable for state officials, workers ect to allow State machines, pipes and tool ect to rust or break down while they're the ones to ensure that these equipment ect receive proper maintenance. This culture of laziness should stop, else we won't get anywhere in our quest for national progress.
Maintenance is better than rehablitation in economical sense.I remember when i was a teenager in 1979-80 the erstwhile leader of A.F.R.C/P.N.D.C use to talk about the leaders before him. But this idea ithink was never effected.Also i.m eager to know this, by the authourities knowing where those plants being installed, did they do their research on on the resistance of the metals used to the sea salt and it's acidic contents.All i'm saying is our leaders should always ask questions when signing contracts. Sometimes investors use cheap materials to maximise profits without considering the inhabitants.Our leaders should consider those who put them in office. If they realy understand DEMOCRACY, the will understand that we the people of The Republic of Ghana has employed them.And think about us when negotiating anything.