Inadequate washrooms at the Accra Circuit Courts compel Court users to pay fifty pesewas before using a washroom in the Supreme Court Building.
Court users say the “pay as you pee” phenomenon at the courts is disturbing.
Located opposite the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park on the High Street in Accra, and close to the Supreme Court, the Accra Circuit Courts have only one washroom for hundreds of court users, who throng the courtrooms every day of the week.
Adjudicating juvenile, family, civil and criminal cases, the Circuit Courts consist of more than eight courts. One of the courts (court one) is presided over by Justice Aboagye Tandoh.
The court has tried and pronounced judgment on a number of high profile criminal cases, including the Koala robbery case. The courts’ only washroom at the former Land Court, which is designed for males, is shared with accused persons and other court users.
A washroom close to courts three and four, meant for court users, has been renovated for only staff use.
The washroom in the Supreme Court building is located few metres away from the Circuit Courts, where people are normally directed to, whenever they want to use a washroom.
The situation therefore forces court users to pay 50 pesewas before using the washroom in the Supreme Court building. GBC’s Radio Ghana has gathered that most washrooms in the streets of Accra normally charge 20 pesewas. Court users say in a situation where one has no money to pay to use the toilet facility; this can promote open defecation, as most resort to the seaside, which is close to the courts.
Court users are therefore appealing to the Judicial Service to stop collecting money before people use the toilet facilities in the Supreme Court Building.
