File photo of a road covered in garbage
Residents of Kasoa are growing increasingly concerned about a potential cholera outbreak due to the worsening sanitation crisis in the area.
As sanitation conditions continue to deteriorate in the Awutu Senya East Municipality of the Central Region, residents are sounding the alarm over the possible resurgence of cholera and are calling for immediate government intervention.
Poor waste management and inadequate toilet facilities in the community have led to the accumulation of filth, raising fears of water contamination and the spread of disease.
In the Central Business District (CBD) of Kasoa, piles of uncollected garbage are a common sight at bus stops, intersections, and along road curbs.
The situation is particularly severe around the New Market and the old market zones, where the stench from decomposing waste has become unbearable for both commuters and traders.
Residents are urging authorities to address the situation before it escalates into a health disaster.
In a recent report by citinewsroom.com, some transport operators—whose terminal has effectively become a dumping ground, voiced their frustration in an interview on Sunday, May 18.
“We are suffering; there’s an awful stench here. They deposit the refuse here at night. The refuse includes human excreta, and we are inhaling all of it,” one operator lamented.
Their fears are not unfounded.
A cholera outbreak last year claimed eight lives and infected many more in the municipality. Residents now worry that without urgent intervention, the situation could spiral into another public health crisis.
To address the growing concerns, Phyllis Naa Koryoo Okunnor, the Member of Parliament for the area, advocated for modern waste management solutions in the CBD.
“We are hoping for new technologies and dedicated areas to collect the refuse, which can then be sold to companies for recycling,” she stated.
In response to the public outcry, the Awutu Senya East Municipal Assembly has pledged to improve waste handling.
Seth Sabah Serwonoo-Banini, the Municipal Chief Executive for Kasoa, stated that efforts are underway to identify designated waste collection sites.
“One of the things we have started is to search for locations that, if necessary, we can acquire to keep our containers—places we can convert to serve this purpose,” he explained.
Residents remain hopeful that swift and sustainable action will be taken to avert another health disaster.
This crisis underscores the urgent need for improved sanitation infrastructure and effective waste management systems in the area.
NAD/MA
After the heavy rains over the weekend, a lot of debris have been left across many parts of Accra. Watch some of the destructions below: