Tarkwa (W/R), Sept. 7, GNA - Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, has indicated that landlords whose houses do not have toilet facilities would be made to face prosecution.

The Minister said this at the launch of the 5th National Annual Sanitation Week at Tarkwa on Wednesday, on the theme: "Sanitation, everybody's business".

He said the provision of public toilets was not the solution to problems of environmental sanitation, and urged Ghanaians to adopt new attitudes and measures towards good sanitation and environmental protection.

Mr Asamoah-Boateng said poor environmental management could pose a threat to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS II).

"This country needs healthy people to build a healthy nation but the habit of littering indiscriminately, unhygienic environmental sanitation could greatly affect the nation," the Minister added. Mr Asamoah-Boateng noted that cholera; typhoid, malaria and worm infections were all symptoms of improper waste disposal. "We must therefore make our surroundings clean through regular clean up exercises and other positive behavioural practices at home, work and at business premises," he added.

Mr Asamoah-Boateng stressed that if the country's waste was properly managed, tourism would flourish and development programmes achieved.

He appealed to stakeholders to design a new method of waste collection and management.

The Minister said the "polluter pays principle" would soon be introduced to make those who generate waste to pay for its proper disposal.

Mr Asamoah-Boateng said the sanitation units of the various metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies would be turned into directorates to make them more effective and abreast with modern waste management programmes.

He urged the assemblies to ensure that they provide the unit with the requisite tools and equipments to make them effective. Dr Gladys Ashitey, Deputy Minister of Health, said the maintenance and promotion of good health was a priority of every government. She expressed regret that very little attention was being paid to the promotion, protection and restoration of health in the country. Dr Ashitey noted that to achieve sound environmental health practices, byelaws on the environment must be strictly enforced. She stated that the lack of personal hygiene, rest, recreation, exercise and poor nutrition could contribute to disease among the people.

"The effect of diseases on the socio-economic development of the country is huge and all efforts must be made to reduce health expenditure and also reduce the disease burden", she said.