It is heartbreaking to have read that last year despite the emergence of Covid 19, air pollution still persisted in being one of worst killers of humans in Africa. A published research which was premiered on BBC News said that air pollution was the second cause of deaths amongst Africans. I feel we could have done more to salvage the situation.

It is no news to read about this phenomenon because Africa is one of the most under resourced continents in the fight against air pollution and climate change as a whole. The pressure on our natural resources are already massive, new technologies such electric cars come with high costs to the average African, so transitioning to the new norm is not that easy.

The situation in Ghana. Personally, I think my health has really improved with the emergence of Covid 19 and this has really helped me curtail air pollution. I find myself wearing a nose mask anytime I go out so I breathe in clean air virtually all the time. I believe Covid 19 is a blessing in disguise. I rarely go out without my mask on, so I believe if every African could develop positive attitude towards the wearing of nose mask, it would help decrease the impact of air pollution on the continent.

Furthermore, I believe indiscriminate burning of trash is another factor that keeps increasing the number of air pollution related deaths on the continent. In Ghana specifically the urban areas where cleanliness should be the priority, there is constant delay in collection of trash and when the trash is even collected, they end up being burnt by the companies in charge of that work. An example is the Kpone refuse dump (about 6km from where I stay), there is no single day that one would pass there and not seeing refuse being burnt. All of these single factors, come together and in the end we face the wrath of nature, s change in attitude and our ways of doing things is the way forward.

Green Cheers from Ghana