M-CODe to honour Open Defecation Free communities

The Media Coalition Against Open Defecation (M-CODE) has rolled out a national programme to honour communities that have attained Open Defecation Free Status and called on state and non-state actors to reflect and step-up efforts to holistically deal with open defecation, move from talk to action, and upscale efforts to end the practice by 2030.

Mr. Francis Ameyibor, M-CODe National Convenor, noted in an interview in Sunyani at the weekend the urgent need to end open defecation across the country.

He noted that the coalition, in collaboration with strategic stakeholders including World Vision Ghana, will launch a national and regional programme to celebrate communities and paramount chiefs whose communities have attained ODF.

“As we stand here, thousands of our citizens still practice open defecation, a stark reality that undermines our progress and threatens our future.

“Open defecation is not just a matter of personal hygiene; it's a public health crisis. It contaminates our water sources, spreads diseases, and claims countless lives. The statistics are alarming. We cannot afford to ignore this issue any longer,” Mr. Ameyibor noted.

Mr. Ameyibor noted that M-CODe, as part of encouraging communities, paramount chiefs, and others to play a leading role in the campaign to end open defecation, will hold regional stakeholder workshops to identify specific problems inhibiting ending open defecation, map- out strategies to deal with them, and also honour communities that have been able to end the practice.

He noted that ending open defecation requires community leadership; “chiefs, state and non-state actors, religious leaders, and civil society and non-governmental organizations who have contributed and continue to support efforts towards ending open defecation would be acknowledged.”

The M-CODe National Convenor said communities that continue to practice open defecation would also be identified and encouraged to learn from the best practices of the communities that have attained ODF status.

Mr. Ameyibor noted that the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 6 has set an ambitious goal: to end open defecation by 2030. “This target is not just a global aspiration; it's a national imperative. We must work together to achieve it.

According to M-CODe, there is not much time left for the world to accomplish the SDGs, especially Goal 6, Target 2, which calls for ending open defecation and ensuring that everyone has access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene, with a focus on the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.

“To succeed, we need a collective effort. Government, civil society, the private sector, and individuals must unite to build and maintain latrines and sanitation infrastructure, promote hygiene education and awareness, support behaviour change initiatives, and encourage policy and legislative reforms,” he noted.

Mr. Ameyibor noted: “We owe it to ourselves, our children, and future generations to act now. Let us rise to the challenge and make open defecation a relic of the past. Together, we can create a healthier, more dignified, and sustainable future for all.”.

To fulfill the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and improve the world by 2030, "we need accelerated action concerted by state and non-state actors to achieve the objectives," Mr. Ameyibor reminded world leaders of their commitment in 2015.

The M-CODe National Convenor stressed that the coalition, with the support of World Vision Ghana and its regional branches, would galvanize and work with regional and district environmental health officers, regional and district coordinating councils, traditional leaders, and other stakeholders towards identifying communities that have attained ODF and honour them.

Mr. Ameyibor further encouraged all stakeholders to come together and demand more rapid reform.