Only 20 MDAs in Eastern Region have sanitation prosecutors

The Eastern Regional Minister, Hon. Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, has warned that weak enforcement of sanitation laws and limited human resources are driving the region into a worsening sanitation crisis.

At a Regional Coordinating Council meeting, the minister revealed that out of 33 Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs), only 20 currently have prosecutors to enforce sanitation bylaws, while 16 have yet to prepare Environmental Sanitation Action Plans.

With a population spread across the region, only 452 Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) are available to monitor sanitation and public health. This translates to a ratio of one officer to every 6,778 residents, far below acceptable standards for effective oversight.

The minister also disclosed that most final waste disposal sites are already full, intensifying pressure on existing facilities. She challenged District and Municipal Chief Executives to urgently establish engineered landfill sites to ease the burden.

Highlighting financial performance, Hon. Awatey said the Assemblies mobilised just 39 percent of their projected revenues in the first half of 2025. Of the Gh¢79.1 million budgeted, only Gh¢30.8 million was collected as of June.

Seven Assemblies—including Birim North, New Juaben South, Nsawam Adoagyir, Kwahu West, Akuapem North, Atiwa West, and Birim Central—accounted for half of the total revenue collected. The remaining 26 Assemblies contributed the other half.

stronger enforcement, better planning, and improved revenue mobilisation, the sanitation situation could spiral further out of control as urbanisation continues to accelerate.