Co-ordinating Director of the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly, Kojo Akuamoah Boateng says the Municipality is targeting an Open Free Defecation status by 2020.
In view of this, people without toilet facilities in their homes are being prosecuted, after the Assembly’s deadline for households to have toilet facilities by February 18, this year elapsed.
Mr. Akuamoah Boateng was interacting with members of the Media Coalition Against Open Defecation who were on a field trip to assess toilet facilities in some parts of the Municipality.
He refuted claims that Ashaiman has a negative reputation, when it comes to open defecation.
The Media Coalition Against open Defecation team visited Tulaku, a suburb of Ashaiman where open defecation appears to be a norm as there are no toilet facilities in homes.
The densely populated area, with wooden structures has one public toilet, serving thousands of residents.
Convener for the Coalition Emmanuel Addai said the Assembly should take responsibility for failing to manage the sanitation situation.
“The Assembly authorities need to act immediately. Since they are in charge of the sanitation of the whole municipality, they are the authority to attack because they are to ensure that the whole Municipality is clean.
Mr. Akuamoah Boateng said 13 people have been prosecuted since February 18, when the deadline for provision of toilets in households elapsed.
He said improved sanitation campaign is a major goal of the Assembly.
“Since the expiration of the moratorium, the Assembly initiated prosecution process. About 13 cases have been registered with the court. Two people have been convicted an fined….Open defecation has reduced, there is an improvement our environmental cleanliness”.
This is in sharp contrast to what was witnessed during the tour.
The only public toilet facility in Tulaku, constructed by the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly is full and over flowing, with its related health risk to residents.
There were signs of open defecation on a field behind the Motoway Fire Station of the Ghana National Fire Service, located near the motoway toll both as well as choked open gutters in Tulaku alone.
Despite this Mr. Boateng insisted that Ashaiman has a good reputation with regards to sanitation.
“Ashaiman has a reputation and of course the reputation now is a positive one, I can assure you because there has been a lot of interventions in the area of security, sanitation, health and others. Those who know Ashaiman would realise that there has been tremendous improvements over the past five to ten years in every aspect of the society”.
The Media Coalition against Open Defecation is a partnership of a number of media houses championing an end to defecation.
Its membership include the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, (GBC), Ghana News Agency, (GNA), Daily Graphic, Multimedia Group and Citi Fm.
Story by Nathaniel Nartey.
