Clean air and environmental experts from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), along with global collaborators, have issued a dire warning that air pollution could lead to the next pandemic if urgent and effective measures are not implemented by governments.
Specialists emphasize that 90 percent of the air in Ghana and across West Africa is contaminated, raising significant health concerns for communities throughout the region.
Speaking at the West African School on Air Quality and Pollution Prevention at KNUST, Desmond Appiah, Country Lead for the Clean Air Fund, expressed frustration over the lack of robust air pollution strategies in Ghana’s political manifestos.
He called for a comprehensive review of these documents to prioritize air quality.
“We have reviewed the manifestos of all major Ghanaian political parties since 1992, and air pollution has not been mentioned even once,” Mr. Appiah stated. “We need advocates not just for awareness but for solutions. When scientists conduct research and present findings, we must be ready to act on them. In five years, we should see a decline in deaths linked to air pollution.”
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