Accra has earned the unfortunate title of being one of the cities in the world with the worst air quality.
According to IQAir, an air quality monitoring centre with sensors around the country, Accra’s air quality ranks as the worst, surpassing Mumbai in India and Wuhan in China. The researchers have warned that this year’s harmattan is expected to worsen, with the dust season reaching its peak in the coming days.
Clean Air Fund analysts, including Victoria Owusu Tawiah, have expressed concern about the situation. She stated that “during February, we reach the peak of the harmattan. Mostly, the dust levels and concentration are quite high in February. Getting to the latter parts of February, conditions are expected to improve, thereby improving air quality over Accra.”
Senior Meteorologist with the Ghana Meteorological Agency, Joshua Asamoah, emphasizes the variability of seasons, noting that “when we compare this year to that of last year, we can see we are getting the peak somewhere around late January into February.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) highlights the severe impact of air pollution, especially PM2.5 (tiny particles in the air). Accra’s current situation surpasses the limit of annual average concentrations of PM2.5, which should not exceed 5 μg/m3. This predicament is significantly attributed to the ongoing harmattan season, exacerbating pollution levels in Ghana.
As Accra braces for the intensifying harmattan, residents are urged to take immediate precautions. Experts advise the use of face masks, especially for children, and stress the importance of indoor activities to mitigate the challenges posed by this year’s relentless harmattan.
Paediatric Pulmonologist and air pollution advocate, Dr. Sandra Kwarteng Owusu, advises parents and caregivers to keep children indoors as much as possible and to ensure they wear face masks if they need to go outdoors. She underscores the impact of the current humidity, stating, “A lot of children are coming down with respiratory tract sections, so we need to encourage caregivers and parents to hydrate children adequately and wear the face mask.”
This story was a collaboration with New Narratives. Funding was provided by the Clean Air Fund. The funder had no say in the content of the story.
