The District Chief Executive for Obuasi East Honorable Faustina Amissah has announced that the Assembly has put in place measures to tackle issues of open defecation in the district by strengthening its byelaws.
She made this known at a durbar in Obuasi Tutuka to mark this year’s WORLD TOILET DAY.
This year’s celebration was on the theme STOP OPEN DEFECATION; OWN A HOUSEHOLD LATRINE NOW. LET’S PLAY OUR PART IN A COVID ERA.
World Toilet Day was officially endorsed on July 24, 2013, by the United Nations (UN) 67th General Assembly and is commemorated by the 139 member states including; Ghana every year.
This enables the member countries to engage in activities that promote global sanitation to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goal six (SDG 6) by the year 2030.
Hon Amissah stressed that as part of the measures, the Assembly will soon introduce an Occupancy Certificate which will compel landlords to build toilets in their homes before they can occupy tenants.
She said “we are very much aware that some people apply for building permits with toilets in their drawings but after it has been granted, they turn around to convert the toilets into rooms. We will introduce the occupancy certificate to deal with such cases”.
Again, she said though the Assembly has over the years, waged a war against open defecation.
The Assembly will enforce its byelaws to ensure that people who indulge in open defecation face the full rigours of the law. This she said will serve as a deterrent to others.
The DCE further advised residents to desist from open defecation since it has devastating effects on the health of people.
She said whiles it contaminates drinking water sources and food crops, it also serves as a source of oral-fecal infections like Cholera.
The District Environmental Health Officer Mr. James Gamor talked about the significance of the WORLD TOILET DAY.
He said its a day for the whole world to reflect on the need to stop open defecation.
He said it was important to desist from such habits in order to live healthy and hygienic lives.
He stressed that the Assembly, in its bid to nip issues of open defecation in the bud, has strengthened its Town Councils which has a responsibility to ensure that they apply the byelaws on open defecation to the latter.
He added, “whiles we intensify education on the negative effects of open defecation, we have also strengthened our town councils to apply the Assembly’s bye-laws to deal with those who engage in open defecation.”
The durbar to commemorate World Toilet Day was preceded by a mega float through the principal streets of the District to drum home the need to practice safe and hygienic toileting.
The Presiding Member, Hon Jeff Oware Adjei, the Municipal Coordinating Director, Mr. Eric Aboagye – Mensah, Heads of Departments, Nananom, the Clergy, and Assembly Members were all present.
