Although Ghana boasts being home to many great beaches, some of its beaches leave a lot to be desired. Beaches such as Dansoman and Jamestown have earned Ghana the unpleasant reputation of having some very dirty beaches.
Dansoman Beach
Dansoman beach has the unfortunate reputation of being one of Ghana’s dirty beaches. Walking along Dansoman beach, the very first thing that will catch your eye is a pile of rubbish.
Previously sandy, this Ghanaian beach is today covered with broken bottles, empty water sachets, black plastic bags, which in most cases contain rotten items that pigs feast on. Communities residing close to the sea have transformed this beach into a dumping site for rubbish, while allowing bathroom water to run directly into the sea.
Jamestown Beach
The fact that Jamestown beach is uncomfortably dirty makes it an unsuitable spot for tourists looking for a place to relax on the weekend. Even walking along the beach itself is a challenge as you have to watch out not to step on human feces that are scattered all over the place. This is due to the fact that residents in the surrounding areas of the beach lack toilet facilities in their homes.
The introduction of plastic packaging also made the situation worse by causing an increase in waterborne disease including typhoid, diarrhea, hepatitis and cholera which has led to many deaths. All this has stemmed from the population explosion of recent years and rapid urbanization.
In the past, there have been attempts at improving the situation of dirty beaches in Ghana, although these have failed mainly due to the inadequate infrastructure for waste management, inefficient waste management systems in place, and not forgetting the enormous volume of solid waste generated.
Nevertheless, efforts are today being made by local authorities to tackle this problem and leave the beaches clean enough for visitors to relax and enjoy. Sanitary courts were recently established to issue fines to individuals who defecate in public spaces, litter or fail to improve sanitary conditions in their homes.
