The District Chief Executive Officer for Atewa East, Kwabena Panin Nkansah, has appealed to landlords in the country especially those in the Atewa district, to construct toilets in their homes to help end open defecation.
Some villages within the Atewa East District are known for the practice of open defecation, a situation which is affecting education, sanitation and the hygiene of residents.
With support and continuous engagement from the Centre for Development Partnership and Innovation CDPI, and Ernst Peyer Foundation, both Non-governmental Organizations, communities such as Vanderpuye, Frimpong, Ankaase and Akyem Mampong pledged to end open defecation.
In an interview with Citi News at this year’s World Toilet Day in Vanderpuye, a farming community in the Atewa East District, the District Chief Executive Officer for the area, Kwabena Panin Nkansah, called on all landlords to build toilets in their homes.
“If you look at this year’s theme for the celebration- when nature calls, you will understand that when nature calls you can not do anything but to respond, and if you are responding by going to the bush there are a lot of problems which are associated to it.”
“There was this analogy that, if you are able to spend GHc 200.00 to buy a mobile phone and it will not cost you more than GHC 400.00 to get a toilet in your home, why not get the toilet first before you think about getting yourself the mobile phone. The assembly will collaborate with the NGO Center for Development Partnership and Innovation CDPI and Ernst Peyer Foundation, to provide them with the needed support to ensure every household gets their own toilet, but I will plead with landlords to as a matter of urgency ensure they construct the household toilets before they buy mobile phones, which cost are almost the same as the construction of toilet.”
The Queen Mother of Frimpong, who also spoke to Citi News expressed worry about the lack of toilets in the homes of most residents.
“We are very much concerned about the lack of places of convenience in our communities, but the landlords should know that as they construct homes for rent, they should include latrines to help end open defecation in our communities”.
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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku | citinewsroom.com | Ghana