The Vice- Chairman of the Coalition of NGOs in Sanitation (CONIWAS), Mr.Atta Arhin has intimated that, the proposed sanitation levy if well managed, will be worth it.
Speaking in an interview on behalf of the Coalition, Mr. Arhin indicated that, although the initiative is good the tax will be burdensome to the people it intends to help.
He explained that, it is due to the fact that, the additional taxes will make life difficult for Ghanaians. But however said it is a necessary evil since sanitation issues have to be tackled.
Mr. Arhin averred that, the nation will however have to sacrifice to improve the state of sanitation in the country.
“If we want to engineer and improve our landfill sites, I’m for the sanitation tax. With open defecation alone, we’re talking about 22% of Ghanaians practicing it and this can’t go on. The sanitation tax is going to be painful but if it’s managed well, it will be worth it.”
Atta Arhin
Caretaker of the Finance Ministry, Mr. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu reading the budget last Friday, March 12 announced that, to generate funds to curb sanitation problems, government is proposing a Sanitation and Pollution Levy. An SPL of 10pesewas on the price per liter of petrol and diesel under the Energy Sector Levies Act (ESLA).
He said despite the progress government has made in the areas of sanitation , there’s a lot more to be done.
Sanitation Sector And Affairs That Need to Be Tackled
The Parliamentary Affairs Minister noted the sanitation levy will be used to improve urban air quality and combat air pollution. It will also support the re-engineering of landfill sites, support fumigation of public spaces, schools, amongst others. It will revamp poorly managed landfill facilities in the country.
Construction Projects In The Sanitation Sector
Furthermore, he also disclosed that the levy was also going in to constructing a more sustainable state-of-the-art waste treatment plants. Plants for both solid and liquid in selected locations across the country.
The levy will also aid in the construction of waste recycling and compost plants across the country; construction of more sanitation facilities to accelerate the elimination of open defaecation and to also construct final treatment and disposal sites for solid and liquid waste.
Moreover, the sanitation levy will provide dedicated support for the annual maintenance and management of major landfill sites and other waste treatment plants and facilities across the country.
There will also be a construction of a medical waste treatment facilities to prevent generation of infectious diseases especially under the Coronavirus Treatment Programme.
Mr. Kyei Mensah-Bonsu posited that all these are all very critical investments that have to be made for the benefit and dignity of all Ghanaians. Additionally, he noted that, these will ensure sustainable sanitation management, improve the quality of life and reduce the number of deaths and diseases from poor sanitation.
“To provide the requisite resources to address these challenges and fund these activities, the government is proposing a Sanitation and Pollution Levy (SPL) of 10 pesewas on the price per litre of petrol/diesel under the Energy Sector Levies Act (ESLA).”
2021 Budget
