Colombia government to support Ghana in campaign against open defecation
The Colombian government is to assist Ghana in its campaign against open defecation under a project called: “Toilet Garden Project.”
It involves the use of local materials such as bamboo and bricks to construct toilets for selected schools across the country.
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The excreta will subsequently be turned into compost for use on school farms and for other agricultural purposes.
So far, 71 Ghanaians have been trained to support in the execution and replication of the project.
Occasion
This came to light when the Colombian Ambassador to Ghana, Mrs Claudia Turbay Quintero, paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Mrs Cecilia Dapaah, in Accra yesterday.
The Ambassador explained that “the project is not only something to be built but to be understood. It is an educational tool for environmental consciousness. We want to introduce innovative architecture that will inspire healthy environments and to make schools more beautiful.”
The envoy said when successful, the project would be replicated in other parts of Africa.
She thanked the Government of Ghana for cooperating with the Colombian Government on the project.
“We will continue to support you in this worthy cause through every means possible: we will not relent on our efforts to speed up this all important project,” Mrs Quintero further pledged.
Protection
For her part, Mrs Dapaah said the project, when implemented, would help protect female privacy because they would
no more share toilets with males.
She also urged the public to desist from open defecation which, she said, posed a threat to their health and that of the environment.
“We cannot destroy our environment through irresponsible activities and expect something different. Our ultimate aim as a government is to make every household in Ghana have its own toilet facility.
“Thank you for choosing Ghana,” she said, adding that, “I will work with the Minister of Education to see how we can scale up the project to other institutions in the country.”
