PHOTOS: Why Ghana Was Ranked the 7th Dirtiest Country in the World-Labadi Beach

Living in an absolute dirty country can sometimes be disgusting. One has no other option than to turn a blind eye and live with the reality.

If you are in search of one of the filthiest countries on the globe, look no further because Ghana – the gateway to Africa – is unconditionally one of them. It is not surprising that the country was recently ranked 7th as the world’s dirtiest country.

Day in day out, the volume of filth in the country increases, without any proper measures put in place to curb it.

Apart from few well-planned communities where cleanliness is key, all other communities in Ghana define dirtiness to its core. It seems the government and citizens have not learnt their lessons after the recent flood caused by poor drainage systems and choked gutters on June 3, 2015 claimed the lives of several individuals.

Until I recently went to the beach to relax, I thought it was only the market places and public squares that expose the country as a very messy one.

I was at the Labadi Beach (La Pleasure Beach) last week to cool down myself after a strenuous week. However, the volume of dirt I encountered at the beach was a total monstrosity and disgrace.

The coast of the place was covered with plastics and other unwanted materials that found their way into the sea; competing with human beings for space.

Annoyingly, entry to the beach (Labadi Beach), dubbed as the busiest and one of Accra’s beautiful beaches, is not free. An individual is expected to pay GHS 5 before he/she could access the place. On weekends, the price is doubled to GHS 10.

Whatever the money is used for, I have no idea; and I don’t think the money goes into developing the place since the beach looks unkempt.

Neither the surrounding hotel operators who are in charge nor the various vendors at the beach care about the beautification of the place.

It is shocking that, the Ghana Tourist Board has also not taken any drastic measures to put operators of the beach in check.

The next time you are looking for a nice beach to relax and swim, it better not be Labadi Beach. Aside swimming with plastics, you’re sure to swim in mud brown water.