Well said, Mr. President!

President Mahama has indicated that his government will do everything within its power to stop the disposing of faecal matter into the sea in the coastal areas. He gave the assurance when he inspected the proposed Mudor faecal treatment plant at Lavender Hill near Korle Lagoon in Accra.

In the view of this Paper, it is long overdue though the assurance is welcome. Admittedly, the current situation where faecal matter is disposed into the sea/ocean is unacceptable and shameful, and the practice is insanitary and degrading.

The Mudor project is being initiated by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) with technological support from the Danish government, and is expected, when completed, to absorb all liquid and solid wastes within the metropolis.

The plant is currently receiving between 40-45 vehicle loads of faeces on a daily basis, whereby liquid is separated from solids and is eventually turned into compost-manure for farming activities. In view of the country’s agro-economic base, a better use of the faecal matter could not have been utilised since the solids are converted into compost manure which is a cheaper, safer method to improve soil texture.

In this light, Denmark has for the past 30 years become the major source of fertilisers that are more effective and affordable in the Scandinavian countries. President Mahama has promised to replicate the example in all the 10 regions of the country to rid cities and towns of filth.

Fertilisers are currently being imported at costs that require government to subsidise the product in order that farmers can access it to improve upon their productivity. Now that there will be a cheaper, safer substitute; farmers can access organic fertiliser in the form of faecal compost and this is more palatable to an increasingly health-conscious world.

This Paper believes the development is a positive one that should be lauded for the judicious manner solid and liquid waste is transformed into compost for onward application as organic fertiliser. Additionally, the idea of dumping faecal matter into the sea is outmoded and disgraceful.

It is therefore for the above reasons that this Paper lauds the AMA for initiating the project, and the President for his concern to phase out dumping faecal matter into the sea. The technology is truly laudable since the deposited faecal matter dries up for recycling within 24 hours and provides a sustainable way of producing compost fertiliser for crop production.