Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, the Finance Minister on Monday said government has begun negotiations with prospective land owners to purchase 65.5-acres of land at Ayidan, in the Ga South Municipality to develop a mechanised disposal site for the Greater Accra Metropolitan area.

He said to facilitate the proper disposal of solid waste, 2,000 public litter bins were being placed at vantage public points in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions and additionally 3,000 litter bins were being procured for other regional capitals and MMDAs.

Mr Ofori-Atta stated in the presentation of the Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review of the 2019 Budget Statement and Economic Policy & Supplementary Estimates in Parliament in Accra.

He said the broad objective of the sanitation programme was to ensure effective management of solid and liquid waste within the country, and thus supported the President’s vision of making Accra the “Cleanest City in Africa” and by extension to all the regions.

He said under the Sustainable Rural Water and Sanitation Project, 500 targeted communities attained open defecation free status as a result of the construction of 9,241 household toilets.

“Under the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area Project; 22,500 household toilets, benefiting 180,000 low income beneficiaries and 260 institutional sanitation facilities to serve 200,000 school pupils have been completed.

“The construction of high capacity storm drain at Kaneshie First Light to address the perineal flooding of the area is also on-going,” he said.

The Finance Minister added that the Ministry had initiated various processes for the construction of additional 2,000 household toilets as well as 25 Number 12-Seater institutional toilets for various public institutions across the country.

Mr Ofori-Atta said in order to enforce the sanitation by-laws across the country, MMDAs were deploying Sanitation Guards within their jurisdiction to check sanitation offences, adding that Guards within the Kpong and Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly had been inaugurated.

He indicated that the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources awarded contracts for the construction of 750 boreholes and 50 limited mechanised schemes for selected rural communities within the country.

“Financing has been secured for the implementation of the Yendi Water Supply Project to serve 133,000 people in the Yendi Municipality and beyond,” he said.

Additionally, Government has approved the construction of the Tamale and Damango Water Supply Project which is expected to produce 30 million gallons of water daily to serve Yapei to Damango and surrounding communities.