Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to explore environmental sanitation behaviours and attitudes of
residents of Birim Central Municipality. Specifically, the study aimed at exploring the
determinants of poor environmental sanitation, attitudes and behaviours of residents vis-à-vis
sanitation, effectiveness of sanitation interventions likewise effects of poor environmental
sanitation on residents in the Municipality. The study was descriptive in nature. It adopted the
case study design, and the qualitative approach to inquiry was solely employed in the treatment
of data. Interviews and field observations were the main data collection techniques used to
obtain responses from twenty-two (22) participants who were purposively sampled. Data
gathered were thematically analysed. The study identified six major determinants of poor
environmental sanitation: poor enforcement of sanitation laws, attitudes and behaviours,
population, cost, logistics and education. Three indicators summed up residents’ attitudes
towards environmental sanitation: littering, sanitation laws and indifferent attitudes. Eight
sanitation intervention protocols (monitoring, community commitment, public education,
stakeholders’ collaboration, solid waste containers, sanitation management, dump site
demarcation, drainage and sewage interventions, and bye laws) by municipal assembly were
identified, some of which were found out as being considerably effective. Financial
expenditure, loss of productive hours and health were realized as key adverse effects of poor
environmental sanitation in the Birim Central Municipality. This thesis recommends a change
in the attitudes and behaviours of residents, public education, intensification of stakeholder
engagement, provision of enough waste containers and refuse receptacles, provision of
permanent land-fill sites, periodic clean-up exercise, regular waste collection by public and
private waste managers such as the Zoom Lion Company Ghana Limited.
Description:
A PhD Thesis in the Department of Social Studies Education,
Faculty of Social Science Education, submitted to the
School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment
of the requirements for the award of the degree of
Philosophy of Higher Degree
(Social Studies Education)
in the University of Education, Winneba
