The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Asokwa, Hon. Amoh Kamel , has disclosed that the Asokwa Municipality is on the verge of becoming completely open defecation-free, attributing the achievement to sustained investment in household and public sanitation infrastructure.
According to him, open defecation is no longer a widespread challenge in the municipality as the majority of households and public institutions now have access to toilet facilities through deliberate interventions by the Assembly and the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area (GKMA) Sanitation and Water Project.
Speaking when the Ashanti Regional Media Coalition Against Open Defecation paid a working visit to the Asokwa Municipal Assembly to assess the municipality’s performance in the fight against open defecation, Hon. Amoh Kamel said the Assembly had made sanitation a priority by ensuring that toilet facilities form part of every public infrastructure project.
He explained that markets, schools and other public facilities constructed by the Assembly are all provided with toilet facilities to discourage indiscriminate defecation and promote improved hygiene.
“We have made significant progress in sanitation. Open defecation is not part of the culture in Asokwa because many households and institutions now have toilet facilities. Whenever the Assembly constructs any public facility, we ensure that modern toilet facilities are included,” he said.
The MCE noted that the implementation of the GKMA sanitation project enabled many households to acquire household toilets, although some residents were unable to take advantage of the initiative.
He assured residents who were left out that the Assembly would continue to explore opportunities to extend sanitation interventions to every household.
“Some people could not benefit from the GKMA project, but the majority did. We are committed to ensuring that every community within the municipality eventually has access to decent toilet facilities,” he stated.
Hon. Amoh further disclosed that the Assembly allocates 10 per cent of its District Assemblies Common Fund to water, sanitation and hygiene programmes as part of efforts to eliminate filth and improve environmental cleanliness.
He appealed to development partners, corporate organisations and other stakeholders to support the Assembly in providing toilet facilities for the remaining households without access.
“Our target is to achieve 100 per cent open defecation-free status. We therefore encourage institutions and development partners to assist us in addressing the needs of the remaining households that still lack toilet facilities,” he added.
The former Project Coordinator of the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area (GKMA) Project, Mr. Twene K. Donkor, who is now the Municipal Planning Officer, said the municipality had achieved about 90 per cent open defecation-free coverage through the implementation of the sanitation project.
He explained that although challenges such as limited space for household toilet construction and financial constraints affected some beneficiaries, the project recorded remarkable success.
“There were a few challenges, particularly regarding space and the financial ability of some households to construct toilets. However, the project has been very successful and has significantly reduced open defecation in the municipality,” Mr. Donkor said.
He expressed optimism that the remaining 10 per cent of households without toilet facilities would be covered when additional funding and support become available.
Members of the Ashanti Regional Media Coalition Against Open Defecation commended the Assembly for its achievements and encouraged it to sustain public education, strengthen enforcement of sanitation by-laws and continue collaborating with stakeholders to ensure that Asokwa attains complete open defecation-free status.
The visit forms part of the Coalition’s ongoing assessment of sanitation interventions being implemented by Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) across the Ashanti Region to support Ghana’s national agenda of eliminating open defecation and improving environmental health.
The coalition is supported by World Vision Ghana.
Source:Ayisah Foster/The Punch newspaper/Broadcastergh.com
