NaWa Bin, NSS launch 2nd Edition of Urban Sanitation Module

By Pascal Kafu Abotsi
The National Waste Bin Distribution Programme (Nawa Bin), in collaboration with the National Service Scheme (NSS), on Friday, launched this year’s edition of the Urban Sanitation Module in Accra.
The programme, introduced last year with the aim of mobilising selected national service personnel across the country to collect data to enable sanitation companies deliver services to communities, identified 2,000 personnel for this year’s training session.
The NSS personnel and other participating groups in this exercise would be given training to equip them with the requisite skills for logistic distribution and data gathering to facilitate the entire process.
Addressing participants at the ceremony, Group Head of Finance of Subah Holdings, Mrs. Adokarley Okpoti-Paolo, said the module was initiated in a bid to address challenges such as inaccurate data for household subscribers to waste management companies, poor sanitary practices, inadequate number of dustbins, poor revenue collection, and revenue leakages.
She said her outfit would provide the service personnel with tablets, power banks and other gadgets to enable them to, technologically, accomplish their tasks appropriately, noting that dishonest persons, who would attempt forgery of results, would be fished out, as there was a tracking device for that purpose.
Mrs. Okpoti-Paolo advised the fresh graduates not to take the training for granted, saying their “contributions will be seen as a permanent solution to Ghana’s challenges, in terms of data on households.” “You have been engaged to collect data to build the data base, not only of the country; the world at large,” she added.
Deputy Government Statistician Mr Anthony Amuzu urged them to stay committed to the exercise, and consider it as a way of contributing to developmental growth and sanitation efforts of the country.
He reminded the personnel that although data collection in Africa generally, was not an easy task, especially, in the urban centres, they should do their best to come out with credible information for NaWa Bin and the government.
Mr. Amuzu told them to have a proper understanding of their undertaking, if they wanted to do effective data collection. He also asked them to develop good attitudes towards people, so they could obtain the needed information.
Mr. Carl Afenu, of the Town and Country Planning Department, said their district offices were ready to give the necessary support to the service personnel. “We have some useful data which we are willing to share. Where you have any challenges, do well to visit us,” he added.
Philemon Beyeo, who represented the Executive Director of the National Service Secretariat, Dr. Michael Kpessa-Whyte, urged the service personnel to perform well, especially on data validation.
Because more personnel have been rolled onto this year’s module, Mr. Beyeo was hopeful for “bigger data, especially, as Subah is on board,” cautioning them to “collect the data as expected of you.”
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Tema, Mr Isaac Ashai Odamtten, on his part, encouraged the participants to be serious in the endeavour, as it was the foundation for their lifetime employment. “This exercise prepares you for today’s competitive job market … make a mark so these institutions will look out for you,” he pointed out.

The post NaWa Bin, NSS launch 2nd Edition of Urban Sanitation Module appeared first on The Chronicle - Ghana News.