Tamale, Nov. 08, GNA - The Tamale Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) has entered into an agreement with the Management of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a private waste collection company, to promote efficient garbage collection within the metropolis.

Under the agreement, the company has provided two refuse trucks and 10 refuse containers while the assembly pay for the services. The management of Zoomlion would be responsible for the maintenance of the trucks and payment of salaries of the drivers. Mr Mohammed Amin Adam, Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive, announced this at the inauguration of sanitation equipment for the assembly in Tamale on Wednesday.

He said the assembly had taken delivery of 60 tricycles to implement the sanitation component of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP).

Mr Adam said the assembly had in addition, procured 100 litterbins at a cost of 100 million cedis to complement the company's efforts to address the sanitation problem within the metropolis.

Mr Adam called on the people to co-operate with the company and the assembly and refrain from dumping household garbage into the bins. He announced that the assembly would formulate new policy on sanitation infrastructure, which would require the construction of Refuse Transfer Station in some parts of the metropolis.

Mr Adam said this would ensure that the public and operators of the tricycles put their garbage into the refuse containers. Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Northern Regional Minister, urged people in the region, especially those within the metropolis and district capitals, to change their attitude and sanitation practices to promote good health and productivity.

"Sanitation is a way of life. It is the quality of living that is expressed in a clean house, clean community and business, as well as clean neighbourhood," he said.

The Regional Minister referring to the Ghana Health Service (GHS) report of 2005 said environmentally related sicknesses accounted for more than 96 per cent of out-patient attendance at hospitals, clinics and health centres in the country.

Alhaji Idris said the most disturbing revelation of the report was that, the diseases that affected 48 per cent of children below five years also accounted for 87 per cent of deaths at the hospitals. He observed that eight out of 10 top causes of sickness and death in the region were sanitation and hygiene related, saying: "This situation is worrisome and it enjoins us to make collective efforts to address the sanitation challenges."

Alhaji Idris said Government was aware that when sanitation issues were not addressed, objectives of the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) would not be achieved.

The Regional Minister said Government had therefore, formulated policies and programmes to meet these sanitation challenges. These include the institution of the Sanitation Fund, the NYEP and establishment of a Directorate for Environmental Sanitation at the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment. 08 Nov. 06