Vice President John Dramani Mahama, on Wednesday urged the media to educate Ghanaians about the relation between unsanitary conditions and health to spur a change for positive lifestyles.
He announced that government would meet with stakeholders in the sanitation industry on March 10, 2009 to discuss measures that could help reversed the negative trends in waste management in the country.
Vice President Mahama said these after receiving a communiqué from the President of the National Coalition of non-governmental organisations in Waste Management (NACONWAM), Mr Joshua Awuku Apau, on behalf of President John Evans Atta Mills, at the Castle Osu, Accra.
The NACONWAM said it has endorsed government's ambitious plan to rid Ghana of filth and that abating the scourge of unhygienic conditions could lead to a reduction in the country's health problems.
Mr Patrick Apoya, Secretary of NACONWAM, called on government to consider establishing a sanitation authority, to serve as the agency charged with coordinating issues of waste management in the country.
He called for a "strong political will" in containing sanitation problem adding that in view of the magnitude of the problem, a concerted effort was required in ensuring that the agenda of 'Ghana Going Green' became successful.
Mr Apoya advocated a public-private partnership in tackling waste management problems, emphasizing the essence of waste management being regarded as a business and source of employment generation.
He called for a revision of laws on sanitation to reflect modern sanitation management trends with particular emphasis on waste processing and recycling.
Mr Apoya said there was the need for appropriate technologies and innovations that draws on the support of civil society groups, faith-based organizations and the media to sustain the sanitation campaign meaningfully beyond the its 100-day cycle.
The 'Ghana Going Green' programme is part of policy initiatives that focuses on sanitation problem in the country.
More importantly, it is a fulfilment of a campaign promise by President Mills to help rein-in unhygienic condition in the country within 100 days after assuming office.