By Sarah Achen Kibisi.
Every human being has experienced the side effects of pollution in Africa. The climate has changed, and human illness and disease are on the rise. Discover the dirtiest city in Africa in 2022. The ranking is based on the level of uncontrolled garbage on the streets and air and water pollution. 10. Hartebeespoort, South AfricaHartbeespoort is a South African resort town situated north of Johannesburg. It is also called Harties. This urban area is battling sewerage, nuclear, noise, and air pollution.The Hartbeespoort Dam is visibly polluted, and it exposes people to diseases and illnesses. The Pelindaba nuclear plant, for instance, was licensed to routinely dump vast quantities of nuclear waste into the Crocodile River, just next to the Hartebeespoort Dam.9. Accra, Ghana Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana. It is known for its colourful textile and used or second-hand clothing markets. The city has the worst air pollution in Ghana.Dangerous levels of toxic air from rubbish fires, car exhaust, road dust, and soot from biomass-fuelled cookstoves is killing thousands of people in Ghana every year. The streets also have heaps of rubbish that is not well disposed of.8. Bamenda, Cameroon Bamenda is also known as Abakwa and Mankon Town. It is a city in northwestern Cameroon and is the Northwest Region’s capital. In Cameroon, approximately 7,000 deaths annually are associated with air pollution. The purity and cleanliness in Bamenda in below average.7. Dakar, SenegalDakar is the capital of Senegal, a West African country. Dakar has astonishing levels of outdoor pollutants or particulate matter. People inhale microscopic particles into the lungs resulting in serious health problems. The streets of this urban centre are also filled with garbage that is not well-managed.According to the World Health Organisation, a safe level of PM10 should be 20, and the level of PM 2.5 should be 10. In Dakar, the average levels are 146 for PM10, i.e. seven times more than recommended.6. Owerri, Nigeria Owerri is the capital of Imo State in Nigeria. In this city, the only mode of disposal of waste by the relevant authorities is dumping it into landfills. This method constitutes more pollution. The authorities should treat and recycle wastes into useful products, e.g. biogas and biofuel, to mitigate the situation.5. Kampala, Uganda Kampala is Uganda’s national and commercial capital. The current metro area population of Kampala in 2022 is 3,652,000 people. Kampala ranks among the world’s most polluted cities, and approximately 28,000 people die each year in the country due to air pollution. Its pollution levels are up to seven times higher than the World Health Organisation’s standards.4. Umuahia, Nigeria Umuahia is the capital city of Abia State in southeastern Nigeria. It had a human population of 359,230, according to the 2006 Nigerian census. The population has since increased, and congestion in this urban are is partly to blame for the pollution levels. The city lacks proper waste management policies and procedures. As a result, slums and informal settlements with poor sewerage systems and garbage disposal are lacking. In 2016, the World Health Organisation ranked Umuahia 16th on the list of the most polluted cities.3. Aba, Nigeria Aba is an urban area in the southeast of Nigeria. It is the commercial centre of Abia State. Aba river continuously undergoes pollution from effluents from activities around the river, and this has become a public health hazard.The air and streets are also heavily polluted. Unless the relevant authorities take quick action, human, plant, and animal lives will be on the line.2. Kaduna, Nigeria Kaduna is the capital city of Kaduna State in Nigeria. The current metro area population of Kaduna in 2022 is 1,158,000 people. High levels of heavy metals and temperature in River Kaduna could be traced to urban and industrial wastes. The air is also polluted, and some streets are filled with plastic and other wastes from households and businesses.1. Onitsha, Nigeria Onitsha is a city located on the eastern bank of the Niger River in Anambra State. This urban centre is grossly polluted in terms of air quality, noise, and solid waste that litter the streets, blocking drainages and canals.The city’s government has plenty of work to do to redeem this city from its current situation. In 2016, the World Health Organisation named it the most polluted city on the continent ■Adapted from various sources
