The ministry of sanitation and water resources as part of efforts to end open defecation in some parts of the country has organized a three day intensive training in construction and installation of bio-digester toilet technology to students in the department of built and natural environment of Kumasi Technical University.
Over 500 students of faculty of built and natural environment were able to receive training to become experts in bio-digester toilet technology through the ministry of sanitation and water resources sponsored by world Bank.
Addressing the students at the successful three days training the project coordinator of Greater Accra Metropolitan Assembly (GAMA) and Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly Assembly (GKMA) In. George Asiedu opined that the access to dignified and safely managed toilet has been declared by the United Nations(UN) since 2013 as a human right and consequently, the ministry of sanitation and water resources together with it’s WASH partners have been poised to ensure that this right accrues to all Ghanaians irrespective of their social or economic status.
According to him 2021 population and housing census data which was released in February 2022 by Ghana statistical service has disclosed that 59.3% of households have accessibility of toilet facility while 17.7% households do not have toilet and 23% still use public toilet.
He excavated that the bio-digester toilet technology has been given a serious boost across Ghana since 2016 and with the efforts of GAMA sanitation and water project about 98% of toilets provided under the project have been bio-digesters. Ing. George Asiedu therefore used the opportunity to acknowledge the pioneering role exhibited by one Ing. Kweku Anno of Biofilcom Ghana Ltd in the design and development of the bio-digester toilets that we have nationwide.
He stressed that the surge in the use and acceptance of bio-digesters across the country is largely because it is cheaper, easy to install, minimal maintenance cost and requires minimum space for construction, environmental friendly and save water as compared to the sceptic tank toilet. He added that the ministry through the GAMA/GKMA has drawn a plan to conducts hands-on and practical training of artisans, technicians and construction and engineering schools in the southern, middle and northern belt of the country on the content of bio-digester, construction manual. He also affirms that the certificate will be awarded to all the students who will take part of the training will be acknowledged with a certificate of participation in the training to scale up of the project towards increasing access to improved household toilet and this will ensure government effort at meeting SDG6.
In conclusion Ing. George Asiedu use the opportunity to express the decision made by the ministry of sanitation and water resources through the GAMA/GKMA of initiating a procurement process to set up treatment plant that will deal with the waste from the bio-digesters when they are emptied and these plants are expected to be constructed in Accra and Kumasi. Meanwhile the Mrs. Charlotte Agyei Marfo, the programs manager and capacity building coordinator at ministry of sanitation and water resources revealed that a lot of households in Ghana do not have access to toilet facility so the government of Ghana through the ministry of sanitation and water resources has decided to introduce this project to boast sanitation in the country.
She opined that a lot of people are doing this project without having any education about it and for that matter as the ministry there is the need to train more artisans to become experts in bio-digester toilet technology.
In conclusion Dr. Kofi Agyei head of department for building technology department of faculty of built and natural environment at Kumasi Technical University commended the ministry of sanitation and water resources for reaching them with education on bio-digester toilet technology.
He said a lot of people can’t afford to buy septic tank but with this bio-digester toilet everyone can’t afford it so this the cheapest and accessible project that everyone can afford and our artisans are the best people to do this project for every household nationwide.
