All deprived schools in the Ledzokuku Municipality that do not have decent toilet facilities will benefit from the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) Sanitation and Water Project this year.
The initiative is part of the Ledzokuku Municipal Assembly’s (LeKMA) plan to eliminate open defecation in the municipality while school children have access to decent toilets when the need arises.
In an interview with Atinkaonline.com, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of LeKMA, Mrs Evelyn Twum-Gyamrah, revealed that already, over 40 institutional toilets have been constructed for some selected basic schools under the GAMA project.
Despite the number of toilets constructed for schools, the municipality has been in the news for having inadequate toilet facilities in both schools and households, a situation that contributed to open defecation.
According the MCE, “The GAMA Project constructed a total of 43 institutional toilets for some selected basic schools which was a huge intervention in fighting the sanitation menace at the beneficiary schools. As at January, 31, 2019, a total of 2,170 households had been constructed. The Assembly, however, has also made budgetary allocation to serve other deprived basic schools who do not have toilets.”
Meanwhile, she said the project will also construct two public toilets along the Teshie old town or the Teshie beach in order to increase access to improved sanitation.
“Plans are also far advanced to construct two public toilets along in the Teshie Old Town (along the Teshie Beach) to increase access to improved sanitation. Mass level arrest will then be effected after the implementation of the above strategies,” she said.
Background
We recall that last year, some offenders were arrested for openly defecating at Teshie and its environs by the MCE and the LeKMA Task Force, after which the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ledzokuku Constituency, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye pleaded on their behalf, suggesting that they were given adequate education and provided with toilet facilities, after which they can be prosecuted if they continue with the act.
Due to this, Mrs Twum-Gyamrah said the assembly is embarking on a massive sensitisation drive to get the populace to register with the GAMA Household Toilet Promotion in order to have decent toilets at only 30 per cent cost.
“The Environmental Health Officers are serving notices on Landlords who do not have toilets and those who default after three months will be prosecuted.
She therefore encouraged Landlords to take advantage of the project while it has been reduced to 30 percent cost.
Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori
