As Ghana’s air quality worsens, the effects on public health are becoming more alarming. Air pollution, caused by a combination of ageing vehicles, industrial activities, and waste burning, is a growing concern for Ghanaians.

It contributes to severe respiratory, cardiovascular, and other health conditions, with particulate matter (PM2.5) being one of the most dangerous pollutants.

Studies show that air pollution is the second-leading risk factor for death globally, with 8.1 million deaths annually, and Ghana’s urban areas, especially Accra, are grappling with high pollution levels.

As the nation heads into the December 2024 elections, political parties have released their manifestos, but questions remain about how seriously they are addressing the critical issue of air pollution.

At the National Dialogue on Clean Air, organised by JoyNews in collaboration with the Clean Air Fund and Breathe Cities, political parties were given the chance to outline their plans to tackle air pollution and improve air quality.

Desmond Appiah, Country Lead for the Clean Air Fund, kicked off the discussion by stressing the importance of a unified approach to clean air.

“I’ve themed my conversation ‘unifying for clean air,’ because that is a common denominator. It doesn’t matter our political ideology – the common factor is that all of us breathe clean air,” he said.

Mr Appiah highlighted the need for deliberate interventions and noted that while many laws exist on air quality, implementation has been lacking.

“What is our resource allocation towards tackling this particular challenge? We need focused, intentional policies that will improve the quality of air, mitigate climate change, and help us live better lives,” he added.

Courage Nobi, Deputy Director for Policy at Movement for Change, raised the issue of local governance, stating that the party’s policy would enhance the enforcement of environmental laws at the community level.

He explained that the NDC plans to review the constitution to ensure that local government officials are more accountable to the people, allowing citizens to directly address environmental issues, whether from factories or local neighbours.

“What is the level of enforcement of laws in our local communities? What is the level of enforcement of laws in our local communities?

"He [Alan] promises to review the constitution for the election of MMDCEs such that each individual will feel or know that this local government official is responsible to him so if he finds activities in the local area whether, by a factory or a neighbour, he can walk to the office and seek accountability.”

On the transport sector, the party plans to “assemble cars here [Ghana] so that we can reduce dependence on imported used cars, many of which are responsible for heavy emissions”.

He also pointed to Alan’s commitment to gradually moving toward clean energy solutions by “encouraging the usage of solar energy more than the normal electricity energy and burning of fossil fuels”.

Issah Abdul Salam, Ashanti Regional Secretary of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), said they would incentivize owners of vehicles to replace their old polluting vehicles.

“Under our government, we will help trotro drivers replace their old vehicles with new, more environmentally-friendly ones through a hire purchase scheme,” Salam said.

“These old vehicles, some of which are 30 to 40 years old, will be taken off the roads.” – Issah Abdul Salam

In addition, Abdul Salam says there will be a heavy focus on renewable energy.

“We are looking at encouraging the use of solar energy more than regular electricity, which is heavily dependent on burning fossil fuels.

“Under our government, we are looking at minimising the burning of waste. We need to enforce the law to ensure that these things are stopped and ensure that we have quality air”

Despite the participation of key political figures, both the NPP and NDC were noticeably absent from the event, although they had initially agreed to attend.

Their absence raised concerns about their commitment to the issue of air quality. However, both parties have made promises related to environmental issues in their respective manifestos.

The NPP’s manifesto emphasizes a financing-driven approach to environmental issues. While it mentions "climate" and "green" frequently, the terms "air quality" and "air pollution" are conspicuously missing.

The NPP focuses on transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs) through infrastructure development, local EV production, and tax incentives. However, this strategy does little to address the current levels of pollution.

The NPP also plans to strengthen the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and establish environmental courts to improve enforcement, though immediate interventions are lacking.

The NDC’s manifesto reflects a greater awareness of pollution’s health impact, with mentions of "air quality" and "greenhouse gas."

The party pledges to scrap the emissions levy introduced by the NPP, citing economic hardships but does not offer alternative policies to control emissions.

The NDC’s environmental policies include strengthening air quality monitoring and addressing pollution’s link to health, but immediate solutions to urban air pollution are not clearly outlined.

Clean Air Fund also launched a clean air manual to guide political parties.

As the election approaches, it is clear that while political parties are beginning to acknowledge the seriousness of air pollution, their manifestos and proposed policies still lack comprehensive, actionable solutions to combat this pressing public health issue.

The time for more deliberate, focused interventions is now, and Ghanaians must demand stronger, more tangible actions from those seeking to lead the country.