Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson has declared an all-out campaign against poor sanitation, branding it a public enemy after a cholera outbreak claimed lives and exposed systemic failures in waste management.
The announcement, made during a tense meeting with municipal Coordinating Directors on Monday, framed the crisis as both a health emergency and a test of governance.
“This is not business as usual,” Nelson asserted, his tone sharp with resolve. “We cannot tolerate the reckless mismanagement that turned sanitation into a death trap.” His remarks came days after cholera—a preventable waterborne disease—spread through parts of the region, highlighting gaps in hygiene infrastructure and enforcement. While exact casualty figures remain undisclosed, Nelson called the deaths “unjustifiable,” linking them directly to lax oversight of waste disposal systems.
The minister issued a blunt directive to municipal leaders: prioritize sanitation or face consequences. He criticized private waste companies and local institutions for “failing their basic duties,” urging directors to “police” contractors and enforce accountability. To ensure compliance, Nelson unveiled plans for region-specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to track progress, alongside national benchmarks. “Your services must enrich lives, not endanger them,” he warned, demanding that sanitation strategies be “woven into every assembly’s daily operations.”
But the push faces immediate hurdles. Innocent Haligah, Coordinating Director for Sekondi-Takoradi, acknowledged the minister’s urgency but cited a critical roadblock: a widespread lack of equipment. “Our hands are tied without trucks, bins, and tools,” he explained, noting that most assemblies struggle with outdated or insufficient resources. Haligah’s admission underscores a deeper challenge—decades of underinvestment in sanitation infrastructure, even as urban populations grow.
Nelson, however, dismissed excuses. “There will be little room for excesses,” he said, vowing to penalize negligence and bypass bureaucratic inertia. His stance reflects mounting public anger over the outbreak, with many Ghanaians questioning why cholera—a disease nearly eradicated in some neighboring countries—still plagues communities. Health experts agree: over 90% of cholera cases globally occur in regions with inadequate water and sanitation access, per World Health Organization data.
As the region braces for more rains—and with them, heightened contamination risks—the minister’s pledge hangs in the balance. Can a crackdown on waste management reverse years of decline? For residents, the answer may determine not just the fate of future cholera outbreaks, but their faith in leaders’ ability to safeguard basic dignity. “Plans mean nothing without action,” said local activist Ama Mensah. “We’ve heard promises before. Now we need clean streets—or more will die waiting.”
