The Deputy Coordinating Director of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, Abdul Aziz Jafaru, has blamed the public for not helping government’s effort in the sanitation fight.

"Unfortunately, we haven’t done so much individually actually to contribute to what Zoomlion is doing. Everybody is sitting down thinking that Zoomlion will do it and their surroundings engulfed with filth and rubbish,” he said.

He said this at a workshop organised by the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in collaboration with stakeholders in the Northern Region to begin a process of developing a citywide inclusive sanitation plan for Greater Tamale.

Mr Jafaru reminded the public that the government pays Zoomlion through their taxes, adding that each assembly contributes not less than ¢1.5 million cedis to pay Zoomlion for their service within a year.

This, money he said, could have been used to tackle other development challenges facing the people.

Mr Jafaru called on the residents to change their attitude, think outside the box, and take up their own responsibilities by cleaning their surroundings.

The WASH Project Manager of the CRS Laari Chimbar said the citywide inclusive sanitation plan after development would be implemented through coordination, collaboration and leveraging on key stakeholders’ resources working within the greater Tamale area to achieve a sustainable improvement in sanitation.

He mentioned UNICEF, Water Aid, Global Communities, Plan Ghana, Northern Regional Coordinating Council, Tamale Metropolitan and the Sagnarigu Municipal Assembly as the stakeholders. Other partners are SEND GHANA, World Vision, UN-Habitat, Afram Plains Development Organization, Zoomlion, Vacuum Truck Operators and other Solid Waste Management Firms.

According to him, to deal with sanitation holistically, especially in urban areas, there is the need to make sure that the needs and concerns of all important stakeholders are addressed.

The Regional Environmental Health Officer, who also doubles as the Head of the Sensitisation Committee of "Clean Northern Region" Initiative Sulemana Yakubu, said "Clean Northern Region" agenda by the Northern Regional Minister to make Tamale cannot achieve a clean city without the inclusion of key WASH stakeholders in the region.

He said government is doing its best to improve sanitation and promote good health and urged the public to support the of government.