Government is committed to eradicate open defecation to enhance good health – Sanitation Minister assures.
The Minister for Sanitation And Water Resources, Hon Cecelia Abena Dapaah has ended a two days working tour in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region with an assurance that the government of His Excellency, Nana Akuffo Addo is committed to eradicate open defecation challenges in the country to enhance good health.
The two days working tour which took off from Thursday 22nd to Friday 23rd June 2023 was aimed at inspecting household toilet projects undertaking by the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area (GKMA) under the Ministry of Sanitation And Water Resources through the World Bank funding.
The Minister was also aimed at acquianting herself on the progress work and find solutions to the problems confronting the contractors and beneficiaries if any.
Accompanied by the Deputy Minister Hon Ishaaku, Chief Director Mr Noah Tumfo, Director of Sanitation Mr Sampson Akwettey, Project Coordinator Ing George Asjedu all from the Ministry, Hon Abena Dapaah, visited Ejisu Besese,Kentenkronu, Asafo, North Suntreso and the Oti Landfill site near Atonsu, where she had the opportunity to interact with the individual household and institutional toilet beneficiaries.
On her two days field visit the Minister expressed her gratitude to the beneficiaries for the positive response and praises showered on the government for bringing the flagship bio-digester toilet facilities to their doorsteps to help end their defecation challenges.
Commendations on the government from the beneficiaries show clearly that Nana Akuffo Addo’s government is on cause when it comes to the areas that boarder on development projects, the Minister pointed out.
She said under the GAMA/ GKMA-SWP, the Ministry of Sanitation And Water Resources has targeted 30,000 ultra modern toilet facilities in the low income communities in the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area (GKMA) alone by the year 2024.
For this reason, coverage has been extended to other MMDAs in the Ashanti Region to help other people to have access to clean, comfortable and affordable toilet facilities, the Minister underscored.
Currently 10,000 household toilet facilities have been built in the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area (GKMA) with the Ejisu Municipal Assembly leading in the beneficiaries lists, the Minister hinted.
The Minister added that the projects agenda also forms part to meet the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal Six (SDG-6) on sanitation and water policies.
According to the Minister, government is well focused to ensure that the citizens have access to decent toilet facilities and potable water by the year 2030.
She on this note commended GAMA/GKMA team, other sub- implementers, MMDAs, the media who have been playing a laudable roles to ensure the projects become fruitful.
The Minister reiterated that the government through the Sanitation Ministry has absorbed 80% of the cost of the toilet facilities to make it cheaper, affordable and accessible to all, and as a result urged landlords and households who have no toilet facilities to visit their various District Assemblies and get registered for the toilet facility.
At the Kumasi Asafo Simplified Sewerage System Point, where Hon Cecelia Abena Dapaah was joined by other MCEs, DCEs and stakeholders in sanitation and water bodies, she said the simplified sewerage system project would be redeveloped and expanded to the international standard and quality.
As one of the government flagship projects, an acqua-culture facility would be included in the expansion exercise to ensure financial generation for the government, though commercialization of the redevelopment and expansion plans are not the target of the government.
The project, she said, will also support the development of an environmental sanitation and drainage master plan for Kumasi.
At the Oti Landfill site near Kumasi Ahensan where the tour finally ended, a mni durbar was organized by the chief of the town and his elders in honor of Hon Cecelia Abena Dapaah described as a hard-working Minister under Nana Akuffo Addo’s administration.
Thanking the chief and his elders for the honor done her, she praised the Mayor of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Hon Sampyne and his team for the good work done at the landfill site.
This is because the work at the Oti Landfill Site is about 70 percent completed, Hon Abena Dapaah indicated.
Earlier in his brief address, the Project Coordinator for GAMA/GKMA-SWP, Ing George Asiedu commended the Minister for the tour and inspection of the projects been implemented by the Ministry of Sanitation And Water Resources.
Ing George Asiedu said Hon Cecelia Abena Dapaah’s visit was not aimed at criticizing anybody but as a responsible Minister found it appropriate to touch down and share opinions with the contractors working on the project, beneficiaries and all other stakeholders and find out if they have problems and measures to solve them if any.
The Engineer was happy that the Minister hardly found problems about the projects except minor encroachments from residents which she gave orders for action.
Ing George Asiedu assured the Minister of his team’s resolve to work hard to ensure that government and for that matter the Ministry achieve their goals to the good people of Ghana.
