Environment

The District has been facing environmental sanitation crisis since its inception two decades ago. Although the District can boast of many natural resources, however, human activities have negatively affected them. The major human activities that have impacted on the environment in the District are land degradation, water and air pollution and bush fires.  In this regard, an Environmental Management Plan needs to be prepared to tackle the environmental issues in the District.

Concerning the built-environment, the upsurge of mining activities have led to the expansion of these mining towns namely Kenyasi and Ntotroso; coupled with non-adherence to planning schemes resulting in upsurge of unauthorised buildings along flood prone areas. Land developers are found of using poor or substandard materials for their buildings. No provisions are also made for toilet facilities in many settlements resulting in people defecating in the nearby bushes, issues are the high incidence of diseases.

In furtherance to this, buildings are also sited at erosion-prone and water-logged areas. Consequently, foundations of many houses are being suffered from incessant erosion leading to hanging of many houses higher above ground level which makes them unsafe for human habitation.

Again, the inadequate staff, logistics and low drive of workers and poor working environment have affected the performance of the environmental health staff in the discharge of their duties.   This has resulted in filth in households, towns and streets. To help check these activities, there is the need for a sustained education to create awareness on environmental management and practices. Programmes such as the institution of sanitation week and best clean community award would be instituted for environmental cleanliness. Efforts should also be made to provide the people with sanitary facilities and services.

Environmental and Sanitation Baseline

This section deals with data that can be used as a base for environmental sanitation issues. The data collected was based upon five components which were used to prepare the plan. The components are as follows:
•    Solid Waste Management
•    Liquid Waste Management
•    Storm Water Drainage and Sullage Conveyance
•    Environmental Sanitation Education and Enforcement Management
•    Health Care and Special Industrial Waste

Data collected along these components in the various communities under the five (5) Area Councils in the District.  Additionally, data was also collected in the various institutions and departments notably Education, Health, Agriculture among others. The methods used for the collection of the data were worksheet and questionnaires.

Waste Management

Solid Waste Management

The following sources generate a lot of solid waste in the District. These are Households, Market Areas, Chop Bars, Health Facilities, Schools and Offices, Lorry Stations/Parks and Shops.

Composition of Solid Waste

Solid Waste Composition in the District can be attributed to human, industrial and animal activities.

Types of Solid Waste

There are two types of solid waste generated in the District. These are organic and inorganic waste. The organic waste is made up of paper, food materials, animal waste and wood. The organic waste serves as compost for manure for crop production. The inorganic component consists of glass, metal and plastic.

In the Asutifi North District, it can be said that greater part of solid waste comes from organic materials like food remains, animal waste and wood.

Collection/Transfer/Transportation of Waste Material Sites

The collection and transportation of waste materials in the District is basically done by the Assembly’s Environmental Health Department and Zoomlion Company Limited, a private Waste Management Company.  In some of the communities, communal labour is organised for waste collection.

Solid Waste Disposals

Dumping of refuse by individual households and others are done at unapproved disposal sites. The Assembly is yet to acquire an approved site for waste disposal. This situation can be found in both educational institutions like schools and industrial areas like sawmill areas.

Science, Technology and Innovation

There is also the need for the District to look for private investors to turn all the garbage or refuse into power generation. This would help reduce the energy deficit in the District.

Science and Technology are being taught as subjects from Basic to Senior High School levels. The introduction of these innovations in schools is gradually improving the well-being of the people in the District. Science and Technology are so important in the world today that it makes it imperative for every school-going child to be literate and competent in order to fit well into this modern highly competitive world of socio-economic activities. Science and Technology competency have become a prerequisite for every social, educational, economic and political opportunity in the District With the introduction of Science and Technology, new breeds of crops are introduced into the Agricultural sector to meet the high demands of the increasing population.

Disaster

Asutifi North District is free of disasters such as drought, earthquakes. Apart from bushfires which have become annual rituals, the District can boast of disaster free area. The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) is always available to deal with any disaster that may erupt in the District. Also, fire volunteers have been formed in all the 5 Area Councils with the sole aim of dealing with fire situations in the District.

Water Security

Apart from Kenyasi No.1, Kenyasi No.2, Gyedu and Ntotroso which enjoy pipe borne water, the major sources of water in the District include, borehole, stream, well and others.  Access to good drinking water is a major problem in most communities particularly during the dry season. The inadequate provision of water system in the District has for over the years posed a big problem to the people. Only few settlements have access to potable water in the form of boreholes and hand dug wells.

However, where this exists, there is much pressure on them, and more people sometimes have to depend on other sources; such as streams for their water supply. Table 1.53 shows distribution of water facilities in the District. In all, there are eighty three (83) existing boreholes supporting the five (5) Area Councils of one hundred and thirty nine (139) communities. This is woefully inadequate and measures should be put in place to drill more boreholes. To address the problem associated with inadequate water supply, and its attendant health problems, the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) which was designed to provide potable water for rural communities have been completed.  But the supply of water did not cover about 20% of the communities in need of water.