Ghanaians mark World Toilet Day in search of toilets

Listen to Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah sharing his experience with Joy News' Matilda Asante Asiedu© Copyright Myjoyonline

Ghanaians Thursday joined the rest of the world to observe World Toilet Day amidst complaints of the lack of the facility or where they are provided with public funds, their lack of sanitation.

World Toilet Day is set aside to demand proper sanitation for people all over the world, a cause championed by the World Toilet Organization.

On Adom FM's Dwaso Nsem morning show programme, Parliamentarian Sampson Ahi of Juabeso and Derek Oduro of Nkoranza North suggested they have toilet facilities in their constituencies but acknowledged their insanitary conditions.

Asked by programme host, Ekuorba Gyasi to describe conditions of one of the toilets he had used recently, Sampson Ahi chose not to 'spoil' the appetite of listeners because he felt they were taking breakfast. But he emphasized they were not good generally.

Elsewhere in the capital, Joy FM reporters spoke to residents waiting for their turn in queues to use public toilets. They complained of the daily inconvenience they live with, and the failure of local authorities to put up toilet facilities.

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly has criminalized the construction of residential facilities lacking toilets, however the assembly's lack of capacity to prosecute offending property owners has seen many toilets converted into high-rent stores and stalls, to compounding the situation.

For communities along Ghana's coastlines, “a free range” option where the people defecate along the beaches comes handy in the face of the lack of proper toilets, and residents notoriously fond of the practice are known to walk past the few facilities dotted around, complaining of foul stench in the toilets.

Only two years ago when Ghana marked its 50th Independence anniversary, grandiose plans were etched to build about 25 jubilee toilets across the country “so Ghanaians will not defecate nilly willy like animals”, explained Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby, CEO of the Ghana@50 Secretariat that supervised the celebrations, however, only one was built as a result of what project overseers said was a critical lack of funds.

The Deputy Local Government Minister, Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah Thursday morning joined residents of Nima in Accra to help educate them on the dangers of haphazard defecation.

As part of activities to mark the occasion, he used a public toilet in the area which he described as messy, to to tell residents it is unacceptable to live such lives.

Story by Isaac Yeboah/Myjoyonline