Ghana- Old cars dumped in Ghana wrecking health, environmental havoc

Experts have warned that old cars dumped into the country and other African countries pose a threat to the environment and public health.

Second-hand cars, according to the experts, emit toxic gasses that have effects on the health of persons who inhale it.

The Centre for Science and Environment has stated that “emissions of toxic pollutants, heat-trapping greenhouse gases and black carbon are worsening public health and climate change risks.”

Medical Practitioner Dr. Promise Sefogah told Joy News that in many cases when people inhale gases from cars, they suffer lung and heart problems.

“During post-mortem, we see black spots in the lungs which is a sign of some of these gasses that gradually destroyed the health of the individual,” he revealed.

Dr. Sefogah explained that sometimes the spots tell how much of the gasses the individuals have inhaled.

According to the WHO, over 6,500 Ghanaians die almost every year from air pollution.

Also, acute respiratory illness caused by air pollution is among the top ten causes of outpatient hospital visits in the country.

William Owusu, a mechanic, told Joy News that some of these cars come from countries like America, Japan and Germany.

“Some of the cars come in really bad state and these [powerful] countries bringing the cars in do not really care about what happens to the country or its people when the cars are used,” he laments.

Mr. Owusu explained that some of the vehicles have to be fixed and remoulded before they can be used, however, sometimes this does not happen.

According to UNEP, in 2016, in parts of Africa more than 80% of vehicles were imported and toxic gasses released by these cares affected climate change.

The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, stated in a speech on climate said that it was time for humanity to get off the path of suicidal emissions because the climate was changing faster.

Delivering the speech in New York at the UN headquarters he said “I have asked you here to sound the alarm. If we do not change course by 2020, we risk missing the point where we can avoid runaway climate change, with disastrous consequences for people and all the natural systems that sustain us.”