Accra: The Upper West Regional Inter-Agency Coordinating Committee on Sanitation (RICCS) has urged the strict prosecution of individuals violating sanitation regulations as a strategic measure to combat poor sanitation practices in the region. The committee underscored that robust law enforcement is crucial to resolving ongoing sanitation issues, particularly the widespread dumping of waste and the persistent issue of open defecation, notably around the Wa forest reserve.
According to Ghana News Agency, Madam Freda Naatu, the Upper West Regional Director of the Environmental Health and Sanitation Department (EHSD), highlighted this initiative during the RICCS's second quarter meeting in Wa. The meeting brought together representatives from government agencies, civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations in the sanitation sector, as well as Zoomlion Ghana Limited.
Madam Naatu expressed concerns over the sanitation conditions in Wa Municipality, revealing that approximately 65% of households either depend on public toilets or engage in open defecation. She discussed the EHSD's consideration of policies such as 'one shop, one dustbin' and 'one household, one dustbin' to ensure proper waste management through the provision of waste containers for every shop and household.
She also pointed out issues like refuse dumping in bushes, improper disposal of liquid waste, and household toilet systems being connected to public drains. Emphasizing the need for accountability, she stated, "We want to see people prosecuted for sanitation offences, particularly those who fail to make provision for proper waste management."
Madam Naatu further mentioned that the EHSD is collaborating with the Wa Municipal Assembly to implement strategies aimed at achieving sustained improvements in environmental sanitation and food safety. There are plans to extend these strategies to other Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies within the region.
Pognaa Fati Issaka Korey, the Upper West Regional Coordinating Director, applauded committee members for their efforts in enhancing sanitation through various Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) interventions. She encouraged strengthening monitoring mechanisms across districts to improve sanitation outcomes and involving assembly members actively in sanitation campaigns and community-led initiatives.
Ms. Prospera Konkuri, Gender and Social Inclusion and Social and Behaviour Change Advisor at the Netherlands development organization, announced plans to drill 26 boreholes and construct seven WASH facilities in schools, including changing rooms for girls, in the Nandom and Lambussie Districts. Additionally, 10 incinerators are being constructed in health facilities in those districts to manage medical waste effectively.
Mr. Godwin Lambon, Behaviour Change and Innovation Officer at Vibrant Village Foundation, stated that the organization had drilled 48 boreholes in operational communities and supported the construction of resilient latrines through its Social Investment Fund. They reaffirmed their commitment to aiding district assemblies and sanitation authorities in achieving sustainable sanitation and hygiene outcomes in the region.