Togbe Adanu Sakrafo X addressing the gathering
The Volta regional minister, traditional leaders, religious leaders, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MDCEs) and other key stakeholders have pledged to eradicate open defecation in the region by 2019.
They also promised to pool resources together to eradicate open defecation.
The Volta Region is among four other regions that have high rates of open defecation in the country.
Apart from that Ghana as a country lags behind in terms of global ranking on open defecation, a situation which is denting the image of the country globally.
They made the pledge in Ho during the launch of Social Norms Campaign dubbed, ‘Sanitation Norms Campaign, Ghana Deserves Better. Stop Open Defecation Now.
The project is being funded by the International Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in partnership with the Governments of Ghana and Canada.
The Deputy Volta Regional Minister, Maxwell Blagogee, who represented the regional minister, Dr Archibald Letsa, noted that although 108 communities out of 780 communities were declared open defecation free in 2016, the region has a long way to go.
He added that Kadjebi District, which placed first on the District League table on open defecation, scored below average score of 38%, with several other district scoring zero.
He stated that open defecation should be eradicated in the region.
Togbe Adanu Sakrafo X, the Paramount Chief of Goviefe Traditional Area, who represented the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, urged all traditional leaders to lead the agenda in their various areas.
He also urged landlords and land ladies to build toilets in their houses.
Togbe Adanu Sakrafo X also pleaded with chiefs and the Municipal and District Assemblies to enforce existing by-laws and develop new ones to ensure the eradication of open defecation in the region.
A Water and Sanitation Hygiene Specialist, Lorretta Roberts, who spoke on behalf of UNICEF, reiterated their commitment to supporting government and the people of Ghana to address sanitation challenges and commended stakeholders for joining the campaign to end open defecation in the country.
The region needs to put in place the necessary strategies and resources to achieve the set targets of the region come 2019 and also preserve the health and dignity of everybody in the region, she added.
From Fred Duodu, Ho (k.duodu@gmail.com)