Residents of the twin-city of Sekondi-Takoradi, particularly those living along the beach where the metropolis liquid waste dump site is located, face imminent health and environmental hazards. This is because drivers of cesspit emptiers discharge human excreta direct to the sea as a result of the breakdown of the sewerage system servicing the metropolis. The Times newspaper learnt that about 10 cesspit emptiers discharge their contents into the sea daily and the stench that follows is what force people in the area out of their homes. Motorists plying the Essipon-Inchaban road describe the scent wafts over the large area as “lavender”. The Times and other journalists visited the area in the company of Dr. Doris Yaa Dartey, a Communications Consultant, on a field trip as part of a discussion on journalism and the environment. The site was described as a “national scandal”. Dr Dartey who led the group said, “Poor sanitation gives the impression that Ghanaians are dirty people and an implication on the national psyche. Dr Dartey said the deplorable conditions of the Ngyiresia site should prick the metropolitan authorities to work hard and improve on sanitation in the metropolis as early as possible. She said with the oil activities mounting next year, sanitation would be a major issue as many people would be visiting the metropolis which would compound the problem. The head of the Waste Management Department of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, Glory Agordzo, said that the Ngyiresia site would soon be re-located to another place at Essipon. The site at Ngyiresia, he said, was a big challenge to the metropolis and need to be properly reconstructed. Source: The Ghanaian Times