The Media Coalition on Open Defecation (MCODe) yesterday joined the rest of the world to celebrate the World Toilet day in Ashaiman.
The world toilet day is celebrated every November 19 to create awareness of the life saving value of a toilet as well as raise awareness of 2.6 billion people without access to decent sanitation.
The team made up of journalists from some selected media houses toured Tulagu, a surburb in the Municipality where the practice was common.
The visit was to highlight the steady progress with the issue of open defecation in the area since their last visit to the place.
Members of MCODe in May reported of deteriorating sanitation conditions in the Ashaiman community.
However, due to constant perusal by the coalition, the open space had been barricaded and a temporary place of convenience built.
In an interview with Alhaji Abdul Rahim Haruna, a philanthropist, helping with the initiative, said the kind gesture was to make Ashaiman the cleanest city on Accra.
According to him, he had always felt sad when people referred to Ashaiman as a dirty city and would do everything in his power to change that mindset of people.
Nangodi Baba, a Senior Environmental Health Officer, said the Assembly under its sanitation intervention projects has increased access to toilet by 3,365, adding that about 1,247 of the projects were subsidised under the Greater Accra Metropolitan Assembly Sanitation and Water Project (GAMA-SWP).
He said as part of commitment to ending the menace, the Assembly gave a moratorium of up till February this year for landlords/landladies to get toilet facilities or face prosecution.
Abubakari Ziblimhudu, head of liquid waste Management ASHMA said that the GAM-SWP provided a subsidy for which every household can get a stand-alone toilet facility for GHC 1,100.
He however said it was happy to note that, out of the targeted number this year more households have been able to acquire the facility.
Mr Emmanuel Addai, Convener of the Coalition, the MCODe and its partners had the same objective of fighting open defecation, and hence would continue in asking the authorities the right questions to address the situation.
BY BENEDICTA GYIMAAH FOLLEY
