SAFETY MECHANISMS TO ENSURE GOOD SANITATION ALONG THE BEACH.

In my previous articles, I discussed sanitation along the beach where I emphasized much on the causes of poor sanitation along the beach, its effects, preventive measures, and the benefits of maintaining good sanitation along the beach. In this very article, I am putting across safety mechanisms to help maintain good sanitation along the beach.

Firstly, most beaches if not all, should be paid for at a minimum fee of Ghc 2 before one can use the place. When this is done, it will give so much value to those beaches and will attract more people including tourists. The money accrue from this can be used to put the place in good shape, put up a security gate or entrance and fix lights all over the beaches to make the beaches very beautiful, clean, and attractive.

a well built entrance to pay a fee before one enters the labadi beach .

Also the government should set up security agencies at the beaches to serve as watchdogs. These security personnel will be in charge of the beaches 24 hours to ensure that the beaches are not littered or turned into refuse dumps and a place of convenience. In addition to this, Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras can be used at the various beaches to ensure security of the beaches. The CCTV and other security cameras will deter people from doing the wrong thing and also, will send a message about how serious the government is, on the issue of sanitation along the beach. Severe penalties will be meted out on offenders.

indoor CCTV camera set at the beach.

outdoor CCTV camera set at the beach.

In addition to this, there should be a massive and extensive public education on good sanitation along the beaches. This should be done purposely for residents along the beaches as a way of enlightening them on the need to adopt and practice community watch.  The adoption and practice of community watch along the beach can help instill self discipline and promote public awareness and the involvement of everybody to help preserve attractiveness of our beaches and to enhance healthy lives, the potential of recreation, tourism and income generating opportunities.

Finally, individuals can take upon themselves to run beaches as businesses than to leave them in the hands of the government only. The government has so many projects to undertake therefore, individuals who take upon themselves to run some of these beaches will help maintain good sanitation along the beaches. Running some of these beaches will aim at profit making. Hence, appropriate measures will be put in place for people to patronize them. Attached to the beach sites can be hotels, restaurants, night clubs, live shows and so many interesting and entertaining avenues and activities. All these in one way or the other can help the state generate revenue for the development and betterment of the country, Mother Ghana.

BENEFITS OF GOOD SANITATION ALONG THE BEACH.

In recent times, hang outs at the beaches are becoming more in Accra than visiting other places of interest such as the zoo, the water falls, the mountains, travelling, castles and museums, among others but the question is, which of the beaches are most patronized? Just few of the beaches in Accra are patronized. There are so many beaches here in Accra but just the few clean ones are well patronized and they include Labadi Pleasure beach, Kokrobite beach, Bojo beach and Titanic beach These beaches are flourishing all in the name of the maintenance of good sanitation. Comparing the Gold coast beach (Bola beach) and the James town beach with the Labadi Pleasure beach is ridiculous I must say. My visit to the Bola beach and Jamestown beach was an eyesore whereas the Labadi pleasure beach was splendid and I wish all beaches were like that.  Maintenance of good sanitation along beach is the secret of Labadi pleasure beach and other few beaches which many beaches in Accra are lacking.  My personal lists of the benefits of maintaining good sanitation along the beaches are as follow;

 The very first benefit of good sanitation along the beach is good health which has been the cry 

of everybody. A clean beach environment will not pose threat to the residents along the beach, the people of Accra and the country at large. With this, it does not bring about diseases but rather promotes good health and healthy life making life more comfortable and secured with sickness free environment.

The beach is basically known for its favorite place for leisure, pleasure, relaxing, swimming, entertainment and the likes. According to an environmental health expert J Aaron Hipp PhD, the beach offers more restorative benefits to people than the gyms, entertainment venues and the built urban environments. This implies that the beach offers more than we can think of, well, maybe most of us don’t know this but then one cannot acquire these restorative benefits of the beach when it is in a damn mess. How will one feel if faeces and rubbish are over the beach whiles going there for the purpose of leisure? Of course, you wouldn’t like to stay longer and if it continues like that, I don’t think you will find it save to patronize that beach ever again.

Also, a well kept beach environment attracts tourists into the country. Tourism is a positive impact on the development of the economy of every country which serves as a source of revenue to the state. It should be noted that most tourist love to experience the serene nature of Accra beaches. Therefore, when tourists come around and are not satisfied with the beaches they visit, they might probably not stay longer and this will be a loss to the state. Dirty beach makes it unsuitable spot for tourists looking for a place to relax therefore, it is a must to maintain clean beaches in Accra and Ghana at large in order to attract more tourists and investors so the state can accrue revenue from them.

Finally, maintaining good sanitation along the beaches tend to create job opportunity for people. This is because, a well kept beach such as Labadi Pleasure beach  and Kokrobite beach make it well organized as well thereby, attracting more people and tourists. People get the chance to do businesses 

 at the beaches such as kebab sellers, variety of foods and drinks sold, African wear  and artifacts, horse riders, guitar players, snookers tables, DJ’s and other activities that people can do to earn a living. This in one way or the other helps to reduce the problem of unemployment and social vices in Accra and the country at large. With the benefits listed above, I will urge each and everyone to help keep our beaches clean. We shouldn’t leave it on the municipal assemblies, district assemblies or the government alone but rather we all owe social responsibilty to change the ugly pictures of most of our beaches in Accra and the country at large. Let’s have fun but let’s pay more attention to sanitation along the beach environment to the betterment of all.

                                                                                            

maintaining clean and sanitized beach promotes employment.