Mr. M. Evans, the Bolgatanga Municipal Environmental Officer, has revealed that prominent personalities in the Municipality are engaged in Open Defecation (OD). Apexnewsgh reports
During an interview with Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen of Apexnewsgh, Mr. Evans shared a shocking incident where he and his team caught a pharmacist openly defecating and smoking at the Bolgatanga sports stadium. He emphasized that attitude, not education, is the root cause of this issue.
“Is not about we not being educated, is about our attitude. If an Alhaji who is an Auditor can go out and defecate out, what shows that he doesn’t know the consequence, is clearly his attitude”.
Despite efforts to combat OD, certain areas within the Municipality remain challenging. Atulbabisi and Doportindongo are identified as the worst affected areas, with other areas like Dameo, Sawaba, Seo, and Bukere also struggling.
Mr. Evans stressed that OD is everyone’s responsibility and should not be left to a few individuals. He highlighted the risk of cholera outbreaks and the spread of typhoid, which is prevalent in Bolga.
To succeed in fighting OD, it is essential to confront those engaging in the practice and promote sanitation awareness.
The Sanitation Officer also noted that some households defecate in their bathrooms during bathing and sweep the faeces into the drain, perpetuating the problem. He emphasized the need for individuals to become ambassadors of sanitation and take collective responsibility to address this persistent challenge.
According to the Ghana Statistical Service, 17,059 households in the Bolgatanga Municipality are without toilet facilities.
