Man convicted for turning store room into toilet

A 30-year old man from Huni Valley, K.Kinto, was fined GH¢220.00 cedis by a Tarkwa Magistrate Court for accumulating human excreta in an abandoned store room.

He pleaded guilty.
Prosecuting, the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Health Officer, Mr Sarfo Kantanka told the court presided over by Mrs. Juliet Millicent Ocran, that Kinto had been using his abandoned storeroom as a place where he deposited his human excreta.

Mr Sarfo Kantaka noted that the accumulation of the human excreta at the abandoned storeroom produced an environment, which could cause an epidemic in the area.

He said Kinto had been warned severally to desist from the practice but did not obey the warning.

Six other people were also fined between GH¢150.00 and GH¢220.00 each for sanitation offences, which included accumulation of refuse at their various homes, accumulation of human excreta in chamber pots, indiscriminate disposal of rubbish among others.

A bench warrant was issued to some accused persons who failed to appear before the court.

The Tarkwa Nsuaem Environmental Health Officer, noted that since government was doing all it could to address sanitation problems, the assembly would complement its efforts by arresting offenders to be prosecuted at the courts.

He therefore advised all and sundry to practice sound environmental hygiene to avoid prosecution.

The environmental Health Officer further entreated those operating "chop bars", restaurants, and other food vendors to come to the Environmental Health office for health permits for their operation.