MANY HOUSEHOLDS WITHOUT TOILETS IN ACCRA

PUBLISHED IN THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER IN GHANA
According to statistics from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly AMA, almost 85 percent of households in the metropolis are without toilet. The AMA’s data also showed that the figure in 2010 was 90 percent. The AMA however said the figure could reduce further but not hugely by the end of this month. All households according to officials of the AMA have been served notice to built toilets before September this year. It has insisted it will prosecute all house owners who fail to comply with its directive which was issued last year. The AMA said no household will have an excuse come next month when prosecution begins since they have every opportunity to built toilets. The Mayor of Accra, Alfred Vandepuije during a visit to the GLOBE said the data on homes without toilets is alarming and worrying. “Our public health team has gone and served all homes notices within the metropolis. We have also taken the data, and the good news is that some of them have begun building toilets” Mr. Vanderpuije said. He warned that no household will be speared if they refuse to comply with the directive from the AMA. The mayor said”If they don’t, we will prosecute. Everyone who does not have toilet we will prosecute them”. Meanwhile a former executive secretary of the Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS), Patrick Apoya has described the AMA’s caution as timely. He told the Globe that it is high time all house owners were punished for refusing to provide their tenants with places of convenience. Mr. Apoya said “enforcement in this case has a very big role to play, because people are running after money. Landlords and ladies must be put on their tours. Some of them are now converting rooms meant for toilet into rental rooms”. A visit to the famous slum developed area, Nima by the Globe revealed that many residents are unhappy with the situation. Currently, Nima’s population is estimated to be more than 69,000, with estimated houses of 2,400. But many less than 10 percent of these households according to officials in the East Ayawaso Sub Metro have toilets. In one household, one resident, Kojo Adusei told the Globe, “I have been staying here for 25 years now and we don’t have a toilet. I and my family use the public one” When as Kojo was asked about the inconvenience it created, he said “ We have no choice, sometimes my children are sick and we have to send them to the public toilet and when it is serious we make them do it in rubber and we send it to the public toilet afterwards”. Hajia Mamuni who is house owner confessed to the Globe not having toilet in the house is worrying but said building one has become difficult. She said “there is no space my brother to build one. I know the AMA said we should build one, I will try”. It is obvious many households will fall victim when the AMA starts prosecuting from next month.

WRITTEN BY ISAAC KALEDZI