The Head of the Public Health Directorate at the **Accra Metropolitan Assembly**, **Florence Kuukyi**, has warned that the accumulation of waste following the recent floods in Accra could lead to serious public health challenges if immediate action is not taken.
Speaking on Channel One Newsroom, Ms Kuukyi said the June 29 floods exposed major weaknesses in Ghana’s waste management system after floodwaters carried rubbish from choked drains and illegal dumping sites into several communities.
She cautioned that decomposing waste left behind by the floods could contaminate water sources and create favourable conditions for disease outbreaks unless it is cleared quickly.
According to her, one of the country’s biggest challenges is the absence of properly functioning engineered landfill sites, making the safe disposal of waste increasingly difficult.
Ms Kuukyi therefore urged the government to prioritise investment in modern waste management infrastructure, particularly engineered landfill facilities, to address the growing sanitation crisis.
She also called on Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to strengthen sanitation enforcement while encouraging private sector organisations to partner with government in improving waste collection and disposal services.
Describing waste management as a shared responsibility, she stressed that government institutions, local assemblies and private stakeholders must work together to prevent environmental degradation and protect public health in the wake of the flooding.
