The Local Govt Minister, Collins Dauda (3rd from right) and some of the residents during the exercise
The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Alhaji Collins Dauda, has disclosed that public toilets would be phased out in the country and replaced with household toilets from 2017.
According to him, the introduction of household toilets forms part of the National Sanitation Day Campaign which is expected to end by 2025.
The minister revealed this during the National Sanitation Day (NSD) campaign by the Sefwi Wiawso Municipal Assembly at Sefwi Asawinso in the northern part of the Western region.
“It is an action plan of government to ensure that every household owns its toilet facility and house owners should take advantage of the offer when it begins,” the minister told the residents.
He explained that the initiative was also to make Ghana compliant with international standards while creating a friendly environment for residents of the various communities.
He further mentioned that as part of the efforts to phase out the public toilets, government had already started a programme dubbed, ‘Small Town Water Systems’ for some beneficiary communities.
The Minister explained that the water systems would help in the management of the household toilets which would be constructed.
The Local Government Minister lauded the people for their massive attendance and participation in the clean-up exercise, adding that the campaign has come to stay to ensure the waste disposal.
The Minister earlier paid courtesy calls on the chiefs of Sefwi Asafo and Asawinso Nana Kofi Ahenkorah II and Nana Adu Kwasi II respectively during which he debunked claims that the NSD has outstayed its usefulness.
He explained that NSD has led to a sharp decline in cholera cases in the country and therefore appealed to the chiefs to promote it.
The chiefs assured government that they would continue to lead the people during communal labour.
The chief of Asawinso, Nana Adu Kwasi II, appealed to government to construct a fence wall round the Asawinso Community Senior High School (SHS)
The Western Regional Minister, Paul Evans Aidoo, who accompanied the Local Government Minister on the tour of the three communities- Sefwi Asafo, Asawinso and Ankyeabor, lauded the people for taking part in the campaign.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi