Akatsi-North targets no open defecation by 2014

Open defecation may be a thing of the past in communities across the Akatsi-North District of the Volta Region by 2014, according targets of a project set in motion by the Assembly.

Under the project dubbed, “Community-Led Total Sanitation – CLTS”, skilled personnel are to be dispatched into communities to assist in improving on general sanitation, stressing on the ills of open defection.

Mr James Gunu, District Chief Executive (DCE) speaking at a training session for 35 Sanitation Guards recruited towards implementation of the project, said poor sanitation, including open defecation, poor food and personal hygiene needed to be taken seriously in view of their consequences on life of the people.

The three-day training held at Ave-Dakpa on the CLTS concept was to upgrade skills of sanitation staff who would move into the communities to trigger construction of simple but well structured toilet facilities.

“Those of you going into the field must not joke as we mean business to make open defecation a thing of the past by 2014 and you must comport yourselves,” Mr Gunu said.

The workshop was organized by the Assembly in collaboration with the Environmental Health and Sanitation Department (EHSD) – designers of the concept.

Mr Gunu said the Assembly would vigorously enforce sanitation bye-laws and warned that permits would henceforth be granted only for building projects with toilet facilities incorporated in the designs.

Mr. Samuel Galley, District Director, EHSD, said the CLTS facility would enable communities initiate their own sanitation activities to solve their own sanitation issues with technical help from district officers.

Mr. Francis Abotsi, Volta Regional Director of EHSD, said the lackadaisical attitude of the Ghanaian to issues of sanitation was a major hindrance to sanitation programmes.

He said the CLTS concept had no capital outlay and urged local Assemblies to embrace it in their own interest.

Source: GNA