Story By: Akua Oteng Amponsah
A group of trained Environmental Health Officers and Assistants in Ghana are appealing to the government for immediate recruitment to support the country’s sanitation efforts.
Despite President John Dramani Mahama’s recent directive to establish district sanitation task forces and enforce sanitation laws, the group argues that these initiatives cannot be effectively implemented without adequate staffing.
The group, comprising over 3,600 graduates from the country’s three Schools of Hygiene, has been unemployed since 2021.
“These directives are commendable, but without adequate staffing, they cannot be effectively implemented,” the group stated.
They emphasized that Environmental Health Officers are the only licensed professionals mandated to enforce sanitation regulations, yet four cohorts of trained officers have remained unemployed for over four years.
The group is urging key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Local Government and the Ministry of Finance, to prioritize their recruitment.
“We stand ready to serve and help prevent sanitation-related disease outbreaks. All we need is the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to building a cleaner, safer Ghana,” the statement added.
The group is calling on regional ministers, traditional leaders, and faith-based institutions to support their plea, highlighting the essential role Environmental Health Officers play in disease prevention and public health promotion.
