Multi-talented young engineer creates tricycles to help curb Ghana’s sanitation problems
Mr. Frank Darko, a Ghanaian prodigy has created a beautiful ‘sweeping tricycles’ that will help Ghana to overcome her long-lasting sanitation problems. In 2015, the World Health Organization ranked Ghana as the seventh dirtiest country by sanitation, with over 7000 children dying every year from conditions such as cholera and diarrhea. Frank’s innovation is a perfect response to this problem.
In an interview with Ghanaenvironment.com, patriotic Frank said it is his responsibility just like any other citizen to help overcome sanitation problems in Ghana. He intimated that Ghanaians must make frantic efforts to find long-lasting solutions to their problems and sanitation is probably the biggest of all.
“I’m not happy about our environmental problems, sanitation situation especially hasn’t been encouraging at all and I am equally responsible to do something about it.
“We have rubbish and sand everywhere on our roads which get choked in our gutters to cause floods during the rainy season. Many Ghanaians lose their lives and properties every year because of poor sanitation.
“I created this ‘sweeping tricycle’ to help get rid of the sand and rubbish on our roads. This will make sweeping way easier”. Said Frank.
However, after several efforts, Frank has struggled to secure support from relevant stakeholders. Frank works as a lone man, with no helping hands he spends close to three months just on one tricycle. He refers to the situation as frustrating and unbelievable. Frank asserts that his creative ideas haven’t received worthy recognition and he’s at times forced to give up on his dreams. According to research conducted by Water and Sanitation Program (WSP), Ghana loses over GHC 420 million annually due to poor sanitation. In efforts to salvage this situation, Frank needs just a little percentage of this huge money.
“It is frustrating at times; I have made different innovations to help curb some of our uncountable problems as a country but nobody is ready to support. We need to create solutions to our problems ourselves not to buy the solutions from outside. I spend only GHC 3000 to create the tricycle
“Last year, people from Zoomlion contacted me to look at my ‘sweeping tricycles’, they said they wanted to inspect it, but that’s it. I haven’t heard from them again, I called them but to nothing avail. I can create a lot of this for the company if they support me. I need a good workshop with some tools to work”- Frank.
The young engineer has made an earnest request for support from the government and corporate Ghana.
“I am appealing to the government and Ghanaians to help young inventors to realize their dreams. That’s how we can best build our country. We have a lot of young creatives and inventors but they are all needy, they need a support system. From music, art, football, engineering etc. the young ones must be supported”. Said Mr. Frank Darko
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