Danger! Contaminated atmosphere; 1,300 tonnes of liquid waste deposited daily
For those who smile too much, beware. Human faecal matter may just land in your mouth. Don't laugh, for it is that serious.
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It is estimated that about 1,300 tonnes of faecal matter are deposited openly across the country daily, according to the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Technical Coordinator of the World Vision, Yaw Atta Arhin.
The Central Regional Minister, Justina Marigold Assan, said the situation might sensitise residents to how to smile.
She stressed that the issue of open defecation must be of concern to all and, therefore, must be tackled with all the seriousness and commitment it deserved.
Statistics
Indeed, statistics from the 2021 Population and Housing Census indicate that more than five million Ghanaians practise open defecation.
Mrs Assan said with many people openly defecating around communities, dried flying faecal matter could possibly land in anybody's mouth.
At a ceremony to launch the Campaign to Improve Sanitation in Ghana project of the fourth child sanitation diplomat, Adwoa Gyakoa Appiah-Kubi, Mrs Assan said it was time to stop open defecation and other insanitary behaviours.
Adwoa Appiah-Kubi, a 14-year-old JHS two student from Efutu M/A Basic School in Cape Coast in the Central Region, is the 2023/2024 Child Sanitation Diplomat after winning the School Sanitation Solutions (Triple S) challenge.
The Triple S challenge seeks to encourage children to cultivate an interest in issues of environmental sanitation by motivating them to become sanitation conscious and agents of change, building their capacity to co-create sustainable solutions to sanitation challenges around them and empowering them to advocate the removal of barriers towards improved environmental sanitation.
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These measures are critically essential to prompt proper sanitation habits and behaviours.
According to the 2021 population and housing census, about five million Ghanaians defecate in open spaces which constitute 12.5 per cent of the total population.
The census also indicated that only 23.5 per cent of Ghanaians had access to improved toilet facilities, while 17.7 per cent of households defecated in open places such as beaches and bushes.
In the Central Region 12 per cent households practise open defecation.
Economic effects
But the worry would not just be about poo in your mouth. It has more serious economic implications.
The World Bank estimated that Ghana lost $219 million annually due to poor sanitation and an additional $79 million as result of open defecation.
Mr Arhin, who gave the statistics, said World Vision and partners found lack of access to safe drinking water and toilet facilities in schools, in particular, not only regrettable but worrying, especially when the very few available toilet facilities did not also have changing rooms.
He said the school sanitation programme was a response to the limited unknown involvement of children who were major stakeholders in finding sustainable solutions to the country's sanitation challenges.
He emphasised that it was specifically a response to toilet facilities with changing rooms in basic schools.
He observed that schools without changing rooms for girls did not make the environment conducive and friendly for them, particularly those who had to deal with menstrual hygiene management on monthly basis.
He said World Vision, together with its partners, had prioritised promoting access to sustainable wash services in communities, households, schools, healthcare facilities and other public places.
Mr Arhin explained that the lack of amenities posed a major challenge to child health and quality teaching and learning as water, sanitation facilities, hygiene, and services remained vital components of a conducive school environment, stating that the absence of these amenities affected quality teaching and learning.
He explained that the Triple S challenge was to influence children to cultivate key interest in issues of environmental sanitation, empower them to co-create sustainable solutions to these challenges, advocate the removal of barriers and increase access to improved sanitation, particularly in basic schools.
Adwoa Appiah-Kubi observed that inadequate access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services were major causes of diseases and dirt around the world.
She emphasised that in Ghana, where there is basic access to drinking water, the same could not be said for access to basic sanitation.
Ms Appiah-Kubi thanked the World Vision and partners for establishing the school sanitation programme challenge which had given children in Ghana the opportunity to be part of the solutions of the sanitation change.
Ms Appiah-Kubi's one-year vision includes advocating a clean healthy and prosperous Ghana to improved health, quality education, and social economic well-being of children and their families.
Her activities are aimed at promoting greater prioritisation of sanitation issues by government and all stakeholders, especially citizens, and to foster national consciousness towards the fight against environmental sanitation.
Components
She will also engage in advocacy to improve toilet facilities in basic schools and healthcare facilities with hand washing facilities and changing rooms for girls and support the total eradication of open defecation in the country.
Ms Appiah-Kubi will as well promote sustainable access to improve housing toilet facilities and the practice of hand washing and sustainable solid waste management.
Appreciation
The queenmother of Efutu, Nana Amba Eyiaba, who chaired the event, commended World Vision Ghana and partners for the school sanitation programme and the concept of child sanitation diplomat, saying it was innovative and urged parents to work with their children to help find lasting solutions to the sanitation situation in the country.
Mrs Assan also expressed her appreciation to the organising team for coming up with such an initiative by giving children the chance to take part in the nation's sanitation improvement.
Report
A World Health Organisation (WHO) report indicates that more than one million people in low income countries die each year as a result of inadequate access to water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.
Residents’ concerns
However, residents are worried about the poor state of sanitation in some communities.
A resident of Assin Fosu Odumasi, Rose Kumi, expressed concern over the prevalent issue of open defecation in her town due to the lack of toilets in some households.
She said though she did not have a toilet at home, she was fortunate to use her in-laws' facilities when needed.
But she noted that those without such access resorted to defecating in public areas around the town.
"It is a disturbing menace that has to be tackled for the well-being of the residents of these communities," she stated.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Mrs Kumi mentioned that a toilet facility, which was under construction in the community, had stalled. She, therefore, appealed to the Assin Fosu Municipal Assembly to consider completing it for the benefit of the community.
The assembly member for Efutuakwa, Eric Kwaku Foh, said the completion of the toilet project would immensely improve sanitation in the area.
A resident of Cape Coast, Akua Oforiwaa, also noted with concern the prevalent issue of open defecation in some of the communities.
Ms Oforiwaa stressed the embarrassment it posed to Ghanaians and tourists, especially, and urged government and the citizenry to collaborate to eradicate open defecation.
Regarding solutions, Ms Oforiwaa said she believed that the responsibility for building toilet facilities should not solely rest with the government.
Instead, she suggested that community leaders should take the initiative and, therefore, proposed to communities to raise funds and seek support from NGOs to address the sanitation needs effectively.
Sanitation challenge
World Vision Ghana, in partnership with the Kings Hall Media Limited, Ghana Education Service, Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources and Zoomlion Foundation organised the Triple S challenge to encourage students to write an open letter to the President of the Republic of Ghana and to identify a major sanitation problem in their schools or communities.
The competition is open to all students in the country from primary four up to junior high school two.
Among others, students who enter the competition are expected to describe how the problem of sanitation is adversely affecting teaching and learning and discuss proposals for addressing it in a sustainable manner.
It is expected that such seemingly little strides towards improved sanitation will make a great impact on the nation's sanitation efforts.