COMMUNITY ATTITUDES TOWARDS SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN MADINA, ACCRA

Managing waste in general and solid waste in particular, has attracted worldwide attention. This is due to the recognition that, a clean environment is a prerequisite for a healthy living. People’s attitude towards waste disposal has been identified as a crucial element in relations to successful implementation to any waste management policy. It is against this background that this study examines community attitude towards solid waste management in Madina, a suburb of Accra. Employing qualitative methodology with in-depth interviews (using a semi-structure questionnaire) and observation as the specific data gathering techniques, this study investigates the challenges facing local public authorities in solid waste management as a result of people’s attitude. The major finding of study is that, generally, the attitude of residents within the Madina community towards solid waste management is negative. This is because, though, respondents know the harmful effects of solid waste, they emphasized that its management lies with the government and not the individuals. An analysis of the narratives of respondents in this study suggests that solid waste management is the responsibility of the Government and the District Assembly and not individual residents. Based on these findings, this study has recommended that sensitization efforts on solid waste should focused more on attitudinal change of women and children because, primarily, they were found to be responsible for disposing waste.