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The cholera outbreak currently facing the country is likely not to end anytime soon as the Minority Caucus in Parliament has stated that as at 2010, almost 97 percent of all public-owned and publicly managed sewage and faecal sewage treatment plants were non-functional. According to the Minority, the country has never witnessed such an escalation of the disease and thus noted that the worry of many is the slow response of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration to the menace. They said the focal outbreak of the disease has been between 4-6 years in the past; however, �in recent years, the outbreak has become more frequent and protracted due to poor management of our environment and indeed of the economy, coupled with poor sanitation as well as water supply systems and poor management of waste by the ruling National Democratic Congress government.� They said for the past five years, the country has witnessed an annual outbreak of the disease which was not the case in some years back. They said out of 35 institutional treatment plants, only four were operational and added that �the treatment facilities of the Central sewer systems in Accra and Tema are not functioning. This implies that less than 1% of the sewage and waste water produced in this country is treated.� The Minority said this at a press conference in Accra yesterday on the menace of the cholera outbreak in some parts of the country and the Ebola outbreak in some neighboring countries. Addressing the press, Collins Ntim, Member of Parliament for Offinso North noted that the above narrative indicated that waste generated in the country was discharged into the environment creating conditions that make cholera bacteria spread. Mr. Ntim, who is also the Deputy Ranking Member on the Select Committee on Health cited, to back its claim, the burning of refuse opposite the Nursing Training Institute and Mental Health Hospital at Pantang which generates toxic smoke and is affecting residents and patients. He, therefore, charged government to accord waste management a priority and take immediate steps to release first and second quarter allocation of District Assembly Common Fund to the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to enable them deal with their operations and waste management. They added that dealing with the cholera outbreak needed a multifaceted approach such as multi-sectorial approach involving mass education on preventive measures and provision of relevant logistics to deal with the affected persons and settlements. The cholera outbreak in the country has so far affected about 12,600 people and killed about 110 nationwide. On the Ebola scare, the minority appealed to government for �a far higher pitched national response� which should �engender a properly coordinated and synchronized public education.� Responding to questions, the Minority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu said encroachers have also taken over the basement of the Weija dam on the blind side of authorities. Mr. Mensah-Bonsu said the encroachers were dumping various materials into the dam making the cost of treating water from there very high.