Concerns are being raised about the uncontrolled dumping of human excreta into the country’s seas. Tonnes of the untreated waste are discharged directly into the sea daily, polluting the environment and putting marine and human lives at risk. One of the areas notorious for this practice is the Essipong beach in Takoradi. Ebenezer Afenyi-Dadzie of Radio Maxx visited the beach and reported that in less than 20 minutes after he arrived at the beach, three septic tankers discharged untreated human waste directly into the sea. A driver of a truck belonging to the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority said dumping waste into the sea was a daily routine for him. The correspondent said the waste has discloured the sea water around the area and spread to area where the mainly fishermen ply their trade and who have to contend with the ghastly pungent smell. One resident said she had been living in the community for a year now and the situation “is very bad so we need them to stop dumping human waste here. We are suffering here too much.” Another distressed resident lamented the swarming house flies that make life unbearable. The situation is no different in Accra. Joy News’ Fiifi Koomson visited the Lavendar Hill at James Town here in Accra and reported that within 15 minutes of his arrival, more than 20 tankers discharged untreated human waster directly into the sea. “The stench in the area can literally knock you off your feet,” he said, adding “what is supposed to be a blue sea looks dark ground.” The authorities, he said were tight-lipped about the looming health disaster. A fisherman, Nii Tackie seemingly unperturbed about the situation said the government must build a landing site for the fishermen. The Accra Metropolitan Assembly says it is taking steps to address the matter. Meanwhile the Bureau of Public safety is calling on government to take immediate and urgent interest in the AMA’s waste treatment plant which has been down for past five years to avoid any outbreak of disease along the country’s coastlines. The group says in a statement that it finds it distasteful that government has allowed this potentially explosive public health situation to linger on for five years thereby allowing the dumping of human waste into the sea. It wants other environmental agencies to join in the campaign to pile pressure on government and the AMA to fix the problem.