Pollution at River Bonsa raises alarm as Parliament backs assemblies for more resources
The Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Water and Sanitation, John Oti Bless, has assured Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) of increased advocacy for resources to enhance their capacity to deliver essential services.
He said local assemblies remained critical drivers of development and required sustained support from government and stakeholders to effectively carry out their mandate, particularly in the water and sanitation sectors.
Mr Oti Bless gave the assurance during a working visit by the Committee to the Tarkwa-Nsuaem and Prestea-Huni Valley Municipal Assemblies in the Western Region on Monday.
The visit formed part of the Committee’s nationwide oversight exercise to assess challenges confronting assemblies and identify practical measures to improve service delivery.
Oversight and fact-finding mission
As part of the tour, members of the Committee inspected the Bonsa Water Intake, where the River Bonsa has been heavily polluted, with reports indicating the near absence of aquatic life.
Mr Oti Bless said the engagement was intended to provide firsthand insight into the operational constraints facing assemblies, particularly in sanitation management.
“We are also here to get first-hand information on the challenges you are facing so that we can include them in our report to Parliament,” he said.
He added that the Committee was also assessing the performance of private service providers, including Zoomlion Ghana Limited, in fulfilling their contractual obligations with the assemblies.
Call for accountability
The Committee Chairman urged assemblies to strengthen accountability mechanisms, particularly in the management of public facilities.
He called on local authorities to take action against assembly members responsible for managing public toilets who fail to account for revenue collected.
Mr Oti Bless also commended the Municipal Chief Executives for Tarkwa-Nsuaem and Prestea-Huni Valley for their collaboration in advancing development initiatives in their respective jurisdictions.
Assemblies raise concerns
At separate engagements in Tarkwa and Bogoso, the Municipal Chief Executives, Ebenezer Cobbinah and Mathew Ayeh, expressed concern over challenges in waste management, particularly delays in refuse evacuation by service providers.
They indicated that the situation had compelled the assemblies to rely on their limited resources, including allocations from the District Assemblies Common Fund, to manage waste disposal.
The two MCEs appealed to the Committee to intensify its advocacy efforts to secure adequate funding and ensure improved service delivery for their assemblies.
