Managing environmental sanitation in the catchment area of Benya Lagoon, Ghana: Education, regulation or infrastructure management as a matter of strategic priority?

Abstract

Poor environmental sanitation is a menace in many parts of the world, but particularly so in the developing countries, including Ghana. While several strategies may be available for managing this environmental menace, interventions in education, regulation, and infrastructure appear to be the main options. However, resources for adequately managing all the three dimensions simultaneously are limited, necessitating prioritisation for efficient resource allocation for optimal interventional results. This study explored how the dimensions could be prioritised for efficient allocation of resources for effective sanitation management. Data were collected from purposively selected respondents mainly from the catchment area of Benya Lagoon in Ghana, using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, and analysed thematically using interpretive narratives and most significant stories. The study showed that, theoretically, each of the dimensions was supreme in its own right but not sufficient in itself as, in practice, they complemented one another for the best results. Most respondents prioritised the dimensions based on local-specific factors, suggesting that there was no one-size-fits-all prioritisation strategy. The factors were socio-economic, including income, educational level and residential class that influenced attitudes towards sanitation. The implication is that prioritisation decisions by the Government, NGOs, and private sanitation companies should be guided by situational analyses which are informed by these local-specific factors. In conducting such assessments and analyses, the local-level stakeholders, namely the local council, traditional authorities, assembly members, youth, religious leaders and other opinion leaders should be involved to ensure effective prioritisation assessment, leading to efficient resource allocation for effective interventions.