Residents of Santasi in the Nhyiaeso Constituency of the Ashanti Region are expressing fears of a possible cholera outbreak as the community’s only refuse dumping site has become dangerously overloaded.
The dumping site, which is located close to the Santasi Market, has reportedly not been cleared for nearly five months, leaving heaps of refuse to accumulate and raising serious public health concerns.
A visit to the site by our news reporter, Sofoba Kwame Afrifah, revealed large piles of uncollected waste, with overflowing refuse creating an unhygienic environment and exposing residents and traders to potential disease outbreaks.
The caretaker of the Santasi refuse dump, Baaba, told Sofoba Kwame Afrifah, that the situation has become critical. He believes the challenge is linked to the reported capacity problems at the Oti Landfill Site, where waste from parts of Kumasi is disposed of.
“It has been almost five months since the refuse was last evacuated, causing the site to become overloaded. I have informed the Assembly Member about the situation, but we are still waiting for action,” he said.
Baaba warned that if authorities fail to intervene within a week, the dumping site will be closed to prevent additional waste from being deposited.
“If nothing is done within the next week, we will shut down the site and prevent anyone from bringing refuse here,” he added.
When contacted by Atinks News, the Assembly Member for the Santasi Electoral Area, Kofi Yamoah, acknowledged the challenge and assured residents that steps were being taken to address the situation.
“I have officially written to the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), and they have assured us that they will intervene to evacuate the accumulated refuse by the end of this week,” he said.
Mr. Yamoah explained that the refuse backlog was largely due to operational challenges at the Oti Landfill Site, which have affected waste collection and disposal across parts of the metropolis.
He appealed to the relevant authorities to act swiftly to clear the refuse and prevent a possible cholera outbreak in the Santasi community.
Ghana|Atinkaonline.com| Sofoba Kwame Afrifah