A recent downpour has laid bare the poor sanitation in the Bolgatanga Municipality of the Upper East Region, with floodwaters carrying plastic waste—including bottles and polythene bags—through the streets.
Sections of the main lorry station were submerged, largely due to clogged gutters and drainage systems.
In response, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Roland Atanga Ayoo, acknowledged the severity of the situation, stating, “Bolga is in a filthy state,” but firmly added, “I will rise up to the occasion.”
Mr. Ayoo emphasized that addressing the sanitation crisis will require more than just official intervention.
He called on residents to actively participate in efforts to clean up the municipality and stressed the importance of changing attitudes towards waste management to eliminate plastic pollution for good.
“You don’t need the central government to work on it. You don’t need a National Day of Cleanliness to be declared; we should take it upon ourselves. As I am going round to the Chiefs and opinion leaders, I will be hammering on how we should get Bolga out of the presence of rubber. The presence of rubber is nauseating.”
Roland Atanga Ayoo
Speaking exclusively to Vaultz News, the Municipal Chief Executive revealed that some residents consistently litter the municipality with polythene, showing little concern for the harmful effects it has—not only on their own well-being but also on animals and the wider environment of the region.
“The infiltration of rubber is an attitude. It is attitudinal! It is human beings who are doing it, and it is not created by anything. It is our attitude. You just use the rubber after drinking porridge, you throw it anyhow.”
Roland Atanga Ayoo
He noted that if it becomes necessary for the Assembly to place waste containers at strategic locations for the proper disposal of plastic waste, his office is open to the idea.
He added that any suggestion aimed at finding a lasting solution to the waste problem would be welcomed.
The MCE further stressed that tackling poor sanitation should not be the sole responsibility of the Assembly.
Instead, he called for a united front in addressing the issue, stating, “I believe in ‘weism’; I don’t believe in me or individualism, so together we can fight it.”
Poor Sanitation Poses a Serious Health Threat
According to Roland Atanga Ayoo, the indiscriminate dumping of plastic waste has already led to the deaths of animals in the municipality and poses a serious health threat.
He warned that if not addressed promptly, the situation could escalate and trigger an outbreak of airborne diseases.
“If we don’t live in a clean environment, how do we survive? Look, we are exposed to various degrees of diseases. Should there be any cholera outbreak, do you know what will happen? So, we must be serious. If we allow our environment to pollute us because of dirt, we are finished”.
Roland Atanga Ayoo
Mr. Ayoo explained that the fight against poor sanitation does not solely lie in the hands of the Municipal Assembly, but also the media must begin advocating for a cleaner Bolgatanga devoid of filth and junk everywhere.
“You, the media men, must pick a challenge; you must pick that thing. You can project our cultural values, but we also need to project negatively. Those things that we are doing that are unhealthy to us.”
Roland Atanga Ayoo
According to him, the media must be ready to openly criticize chiefs constructively when it comes to the way they handle sanitation in their jurisdiction.
He explained that it will help put every stakeholder on their toes to fight the menace head-on and free the municipality of the filth that has befallen it.
“You people who are media men must write and criticize some of these things. You must write and criticize chiefs and praise chiefs who are up to the task. It is about time we go back to the gong-gong beater. Every chief must announce a day for cleanliness. Whichever refuses to do, they should summon them and charge them.”
Roland Atanga Ayoo
The Chief Executive is, therefore, urging residents to join hands in restoring Bolgatanga to its former glory—when it was proudly regarded as one of the cleanest cities in Ghana.
He emphasized that a healthier population leads to increased productivity, which in turn contributes to the overall growth and upliftment of the municipality.
“Whether we like it or not, Bolga will be safe from rubber. I will be calling on the market women, I will be calling on butchers, all types of traders, all the women in the market—goat sellers, fowl sellers, millet sellers—everyone must join the fight. We must ensure that we get Bolga out of rubber pollution.”
Roland Atanga Ayoo
He reiterated that sanitation remains one of his top priorities. He is determined to tackle the problem head-on and ensure that the current culture of indiscriminate dumping is brought to an end, with clear guidelines put in place to address the issue effectively.
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