ABSENCE OF A RENEWABLE ENERGY LAW IN GHANA IS IMPEDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF RENEWABLE ENERGY IN GHANA

Juliet Degadzo, a member of the Ghana WATSAN Journalist Network recently participated in a seminar on Solar Energy and Biomass in Germany. She was part of a delegation invited by InWEnt under the auspices of the Ministry of Energy.
She filed the following report

Ghana’s delegation from various parts of the energy sector has called on government to speed up action to enact and enforce a law on renewable energy to utilize the abundant resources the country has which are lying fallow due to the absence of laws on renewable energy.

This came up at a technology transfer seminar between Germany and Ghana-Nigeria professionals in the Renewable Energy Sector specifically on Solar Energy and Biomass in Bavaria Germany. The event was organized by Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung gGmbH (InWEnt) a German based non-profit organization with a worldwide operation dedicated to human resource development, advanced training, and dialogue.

The fifth vice president of the Bavarian parliament Jorg Rohde, in his closing remarks, called on countries to unite towards fighting global challenges instead of engaging in unnecessary disputes. He says the world needs a unifying effort to meet its targets on the environment and its related issues. Speaking at a dinner to mark the closing ceremony, he stated that it is better for countries to trade amongst themselves to boost the global economy rather than engaging in unnecessary wars. “Your presence in Bavaria is gladdening since you are going to be ambassadors of Bavaria in your respective countries”. He also called on participants to share knowledge and use the platform created for networking to enhance their knowledge base on renewable energy which offers a better solution to the world’s energy demands thus promoting a healthy and safe environment for posterity.

Georg Reichl, head of division, foreign economic relations with Africa, Latin America, Middle East Turkey and Economic Cooperation with developing countries, opened and closed the seminar officially and entreated developing countries such as Ghana and Nigeria to make investments that have long-term benefits. He explained that most often than not, many countries do not consider the long-term benefits of projects they undertake, but are deterred by initial cost implications that may seem high, but are actually cheaper in the long run.

According to Daniel Delatree at the chamber of commerce of Bavaria Germany, the introduction of Renewable Energy and Heat Acts have opened the renewable energy market by creating 278,000 new jobs since 2000, Germany has cut down its green house gas emission by 21% (1998-2012) and have exceeded the Kyoto Protocol since 2007. Proper waste disposal mechanisms and engineered land filled sites in Bavaria have contributed to the increase in electricity generation from biomass. It is rather sad that Ghana lacks such proper waste management mechanisms. Participants were also introduced to the general framework and technology attachments for the use of sun energy and biomass over all in connection with the recycling of waste and waste water in Bavaria. Some highlights were on the technological utilization of waste and waste water recycling for energy generation. As part of extensive discussion with the Bavaria Ministry of Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Transport, & Technology will be sending a delegation to Ghana in November 2009 to ascertain the impact and challenges in the development of renewable energy sector in Ghana.

Mr. Sackniess also said InWEnt’s practice-oriented programs are designed to assist participants in making better decisions. Instruction is offered on interdisciplinary management techniques together with international and intercultural know-how. Further, he said InWEnt is preparing the actors of tomorrow today to work together with developing and transition countries which call for the involvement of all and sundry. There were field visits to many companies involved in solar energy and biomass such as YOKU & KAITO Solar Technology Companies, Moosburg sewage works, AVA company with usage of city dump to generate electricity into the grid network, Solux Company (Solar Light Ghana-Project) MTU Augsburg- producer and operator of industrial biogas works. Biogas plants with various feedstocks such as food leftovers, cow dung, etc, including an integrated biogas plant which utilizes ecological principles in their operations.
The participants have also agreed to create a platform for multi-sectoral approach to implement at least one demonstration project to showcase the various renewable energy technologies and also increase advocacy in the dissemination of renewable energy technologies such as solar energy and biomass. Seventeen out of twenty (20) participants, that was originally selected, embarked on this trip to participate in the seminar in Bavaria-Germany.

Insanitary living threatens NHIS survival - Costs scheme GH¢ 70 million in 2008 alone

Extension services Coordinator of the Community Water and Sanitation Agency CWSA Theodora Adomako Adjei has warned that the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) faces imminent extinction if the scheme does not focus on the issues of hygiene.
She said if the issues of hygiene are not addressed properly, there could come a time when the scheme may not have money to run.

Speaking to this paper after a 'a media/children's forum' in Cape Coast to usher in the 2nd Global Hand Washing Day celebrations, Mrs. Adomako-Agyei disclosed that NHIS spent over GH¢ 70 million on sanitation related diseases in 2008 alone.

“Majority of the cases reported at the Out Patient Department (OPD) of our health institutions are hygiene related, and if the trend is not stemmed, it would have dire consequences in terms of the cost of treatment sooner than later,” she cautioned.

Mrs. Adomako-Agyei explained that the poor hand washing habits of many Ghanaians is mostly responsible for this turn of events where diseases such as cholera, diarrhoe and respiratory tract infections such as the N1H1 (Swine flu) have become so prevalent in the country.

She lamented that many Ghanaians eat their own, or other people’s excrement because many are those who, either do not wash hands at all, or do not wash hands with soap after visiting the toilet, or before touching food.

Addressing the forum, the Coordinator revealed with statistical evidence that only 2.3% of mothers wash their hands with soap after disposing of their children’s feaces, while 2.7 % also wash hands with soap after visiting the toilet.
According to her, 41% of mothers also wash hands with water only after cleaning the child’s toilet, while 32% also wash hands with just water after they visit the toilet.

She noted, “As many as 63% of Ghanaians do not wash hands at all in a situation where about 68% of Ghanaians depend on public toilets due to the lack of toilets in their homes.

“The nature of public places of convenience is so unhygienic that one must always wash hands with soap after visiting those places,” she urged.

She called for the culture of hand washing with soap after visiting the toilets and before eating to be inculcated into children right from infancy so that it would become ingrained in the psyche throughout their lives.

The coordinator lampooned Ghanaians’ attitude of watering hands before eating but washing them with soap after eating, apparently to kill the scent of meat or fish on the hands.

She emphasised that hand washing with soap, is the single most effective health intervention method that can save a lot of lives, particularly among children, urging the public to demand the provision of hand washing facilities such as clean water and soap at vantage points: near public latrines, lorry parks and market places to promote further the practice in the society.

At the celebration which fell on October 15, Deputy Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing , Hanna Bisiw urged all parents to develop the practice of hand washing with soap in order to prevent diseases such as the N1H1( Swine flu) and other respiratory tract infections from attacking their Children.

“Women as mothers and care-givers are the major the major providers and servers of food both in the home and at public places,” Dr. Bisiw noted, warning, “Thus, one woman with contaminated hands will affect the health of her whole family and any outsiders who are served food or drinks by this woman.”

She therefore called on all Ghanaians to adopt the habit of hand washing with soap and make it a part of their lives.

Communication and Campaign Officer of WaterAid, Janet Alamisi Dabire called on both school children and the media partners to promote the campaign to send the message into the communities.

WaterAid Ghana, Schools Health Education Project (SHEP), Ministries of Local Government and Rural Development, Women and Children’s Affairs, Education, as well as Works and Housing are some of the collaborating agencies in the hand washing with soap campaign.



By: Justice Lee Adoboe

These little things matter -An editorial on the Global Handwashing Day

It is said that “a stitch in time saves nine,” and “to be fore-warned is to be fore-armed.”

That is why it is heart warming to realise that some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), international organisations and Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) operating in the water and sanitation delivery sector have taken it upon themselves to promote hand washing with soap in the Ghanaian society.

The fact that this simple and cost effective habit, if well harnessed and inculcated into the life styles of the average Ghanaians would be a panacea to majority of the health problems people face cannot be overemphasised.

Diseases such as Cholera, Diarrhoea and other respiratory tract infections which break out in many communities with fatal consequences are all hygiene and sanitation related.

Food vendors have been identified as one of the major sources of these infections as many of them throw hygienic practices to the dogs and treat food which ends up in people’s stomachs with careless abandon.

Visit the preparation points of staples such as kenkey, banku, fufu wache and Hausa koko, and you will be appalled by the sheer tolerance for house flies. Many of these people leave the food items and utensils being used uncovered for these disease-laden flies to feast on.

Unfortunately most of the Ghanaian delicacies sold along the streets are prepared from households and communities that do not have toilets, making people defeacate around in what is described in local parlance as “Free-Range.”

Moreover, workers pick their noses while working while some of them only water their hands, after visiting the very toilets that are mostly unkempt and dip those same hands back into the food they are preparing for public consumption.

Vendors along the streets especially those girls selling dough nuts (bofrot) and other such pastries leave them uncovered for the whole day. They pick their noses while selling and visit public toilets which have the reputation of being some of the nastiest places in the Ghanaian society intermittently, but do not have water or soap to wash their hands with.

With these same hands they serve food to the general public to eat, thus causing an increase in the rate of contraction of these hygiene related diseases.
The GH¢70 million the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) alone is said to have spent on such infections in 2008 is frightening.

Also frightening, but real is the statistical evidence that only 2.3% of mothers wash their hands with soap after disposing of their children’s feaces, while 2.7 % also wash hands with soap after visiting the toilet.

Furthermore, 41% of mothers also wash hands with water alone after cleaning the child’s toilet, while 32% also wash hands with just water after they visit the toilet.

Amidst all this, it is important to note that as many as 63% of Ghanaians do not wash hands at all in a situation where about 68% of Ghanaians depend on public toilets due to the lack of toilets in their homes.

The implication is that majority of Ghanaians visit public places of convenience, and carry germs from there to distribute to all those they greet with their hands.
It is for this reason we would like to join in the campaign of encouraging our folks to start cultivating the habit of washing their hands with soap after visiting the toilets, and before dealing with food.

Why eat back your own or another person’s excrement with the billions of infections and viruses each gram carries?

By this simple and cost effective intervention of hand washing with soap people will save their own lives and those of others, while at the same time reducing the propensity of the outbreak of epidemics such as cholera, diarrhoea, N1H1 (pandemic flu) and many others which come along with high financial costs and the potential for the loss of life.

Indeed, for truly clean hands, wash your hands with soap.

An editorial by "The Financial Intelligence"

GWJN pledges commitment to Handwashing with soap

Members of the Ghana Watsan Journalist Network (GWJN) have pledged their commitment to promote Handwashing with soap .The Pledge was made at the ongoing celebrations to mark the Global Handwashing Day, with an emphasis on washing hands with soap at all critical times.
The national celebrations of the Global Handwashing Day is taking place in Cape Coast. October 15, every year has been set aside as Global Handwashing Day. WaterAid Ghana has sponsored two members of the network, Justice Adoboe of the Financial Intelligence Newspaper and Tony Sabuky of Channel R, FM station to participate in a series of activities lined up for celebrations.

They joined the many students who are participating in the celebrations, by pledging the commitment to Handwashing soap through a hand print on a canvas.

Photo : Tony Sabuky