GAMA Hands Over 17 Smart Toilets To Schools In Tema

The Greater Accra Metropolitan Area-Sanitation and Water project (GAMA) has presented 17 institutional toilets to public schools in the Tema Metropolis.

The remaining six of the 23 institutional toilets for the metropolis are pending waiting to be completed to reach out to the other schools.

The disability friendly facilities come with changing rooms for females to increase girl-child school attendance during menstrual periods, smart flush water closet, hand washing basin, mirror, liquid soap dispenser, overhead water storage facilities, compost pit and bin bay for refuse segregation.

Speaking at the ceremony in Tema, the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA), Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La said poor sanitation in the metropolis has become a nightmare for them as they find themselves inundated with the problem.

He noted that GAMA’s project resonates well with the sanitation component of the Assembly’s restoration agenda to make the metropolis very conducive and healthy for living.

The MCE indicated that the Metropolis which until recently encompassed Tema West Municipality benefited from 35 institutional toilets under the GAMA project.

He added that with the creation of Tema West Municipal Assembly, TMA now benefits from 23 institutional toilets of which 17 has been completed.

Mr. Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La called for urgent steps to properly orient the school children on the proper use of these facilities in order to keep it clean at all times.

The Metro Director of Education, Mrs. Margaret Nsiah-Asamoah noted that the facilities will help improve teaching and learning among teachers and school children.

She added that the facility which provides a convenient place for schools girls during their menstrual cycle could curb absenteeism.

Mrs. Nsiah-Asamoah urges the assembly members, School Management Committees, Parent and Teachers Association to jealously guard the facilities from being used by community members.

The GAMA Coordinator for the Tema Metropolis, Mrs. Bertha Essel emphasized that apart from the institutional toilets, 2300 household toilets have been constructed in the Tema Metropolis.

She stressed that two 1.5km drains have been completed out of the total of four selected at various locations in the Metropolis.

According to her, a toilet jama group have been selected to compose innovative sanitation behavioral change songs to sensitize communities about sanitation and hygiene in low-income communities.

She concluded that the development objective of the GAMA sanitation and Water Project for Ghana was to increase access to improved sanitation and water supply in GAMA to low income communities.