Abstract:
Poor environmental sanitation is a menace in many parts of the world,
but particularly so in the developing countries, including Ghana. While several
strategies may be available for managing this environmental menace, interventions
in education, regulation, and infrastructure appear to be the main options. However,
resources for adequately managing all the three dimensions simultaneously are
limited, necessitating prioritization for efficient resource allocation for optimal
interventional results. This study explored how the dimensions could be prioritized
for efficient allocation of resources for effective sanitation management. Data were
collected from purposively selected respondents mainly from the catchment area of
Benya Lagoon in Ghana, using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, and
analysed thematically using interpretive narratives and most significant stories. The
study showed that, theoretically, each of the dimensions was supreme in its own
right but not sufficient in itself as, in practice, they complemented one another for the best results. Most respondents prioritised the dimensions based on local-specific
factors, suggesting that there was no one-size-fits-all prioritisation strategy. The
factors were socio-economic, including income, educational level and residential
class that influenced attitudes towards sanitation. The implication is that prioritisation
decisions by the Government, NGOs, and private sanitation companies should
be guided by situational analyses which are informed by these local-specific factors.
In conducting such assessments and analyses, the local-level stakeholders, namely
the local council, traditional authorities, assembly members, youth, religious leaders
and other opinion leaders should be involved to ensure effective prioritization
assessment, leading to efficient resource allocation for effective interventions
