The Nandom Municipal Assembly says it is making strenuous efforts to elevate the status of the area from an ‘Open Defecation Free ODF’ status to being identified as a ‘Sanitised Municipality’.
The MCE for Nandom, Thaddeus Arkum Aasoglenang said for the Municipality to maintain its status as the only Open Defecation Free Municipality in West Africa, it is essential that Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) activities are sustained.
Speaking to the GBC, Mr Aasoglenang was, however, worried that the Municipal Assembly alone does not have the financial capacity to undertake the necessary activities and called for support.
A community is referred to as ODF-Basic when there is no visible fecal matter in the community for a period of two months.
After four months of being ODF-Basic, a community could be declared ODF if at least 80 percent of households have toilet and handwashing facilities. After a six-month period, if all the residents have household toilet and handwashing facilities as well as adequate knowledge about good hygiene practice and proper waste management, the community should be declared as a ‘Sanitised Community’.
These processes apply to Metropolitan, Municipal and Districts Assemblies as well. The MCE for Nandom, Thaddeus Aasoglenang said the process of attaining an ODF status was not an easy one.
“I made comments somewhere in a conference that I am not afraid of. If at the end of the day, they tell me that I have used District Assemblies Common Fund to finance my ODF issues and for that matter, they will lock me up, I am prepared to go in because my people have seen the light,” he said.
The MCE continued, “we [Nandom Municipal Assembly] have empowered the traditional authorities; punish your subjects when they do that [defecate in the open]. Whatever money you make from that, keep it and use it for your local community development”.
Mr Aasoglenang added that the strategy had worked because “it is a community responsibility. We have sensitised the people, the chiefs have taken it up and it is everybody project”.
Mr Aasoglenang said after attaining an ODF status, the next logical step is working towards a ‘Sanitised Municipality’ status. The MCE for Nandom admits that this step will be even more challenging saying “for now, you cannot get anyone defecating outside but we cannot follow to see that when they are done they wash their hands”.
“We cannot follow them inside [the toilet facility] to see that when they do it the urine goes into the pit or it drains around the facility. We cannot follow them to see whether the [toilet] paper that they use if appropriate or not and even if it is appropriate how do they dispose it off.”
The MCE stressed that the next step of the ladder is more capital intensive. When asked how he expects to fund such a campaign, Mr Aasoglenang responded saying, “I do not know”. He was however quick to add that the media could play a key role in “social marketing for Nandom Municipality. Get people to know that this is what we have done and we need more money to continue with the good work that we are doing”.
Mr Aasoglenang said the Nandom Municipal Assembly is ready to partner with development organisations to further the course of WASH-related activities.
Story filed by Mark Smith.
