28,245 households benefit from improved toilet facilities

The Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources through the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area Sanitation and Water Project (GAMA-SWP) has provided access to improved toilet facilities to serve over 225,960 low-income people in 28,245 households in the Greater Accra Metropolis.

Addressing the media in Accra today, the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah said under the project, 240 fit-for-purpose, gender and disability-friendly school sanitation facilities have been provided to over 231,872 school pupils of low-income communities in the GAMA.

Cecilia Abena Dapaah mentioned that construction is currently ongoing for a 4,000-household capacity simplified sewerage system in Ashaiman New Town and 900 household capacity simplified sewerage system to benefit households in Bankuman community of Tema Metropolitan Area.

“In support of the Ministry of Works and Housing, the Ministry through the GAMA-SWP, expanded and lined a total of 23km length of drainage channels; 32km of unlined drainage channels have also been desilted and fifteen (15) culverts have been reconstructed to enhance free flow of storm water. The completion of these priority tertiary drainage works has helped to reduce the perennial flooding that hitherto led to loss of lives and property as well as to mitigate the high risks that results from poor environmental sanitation management.”

The Sanitation and Water Resources Minister said the Ministry has also commenced the construction of 5,000 household toilet facilities within the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area under the GASSLIP. She said construction works are at various stages of completion.

“It is anticipated that by end of December 2020, all the facilities would have been completed which would benefit 50,000 people.”

In an effort to improve Sanitation delivery in the Country, Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah said government, under the World Bank-funded additional financing of the Sustainable Rural Water and Sanitation Project implemented by the CWSA, delivered 12,972 Household Toilets. She said in addition, 179 school teacher latrines were constructed.

“As a result, 351 communities have been declared open defecation free (ODF). Another 165 communities are ready to be certified”.

“The Ministry as part of the implementation of the 2019 budget, initiated the construction of 2,000 household toilets with the aim of improving access to sanitation and reducing open defaecation within selected MMDAs in the Ashanti, Western, Central and Northern Regions.”

The Minister said about 50% of the facilities have been completed while the rest are at various stages of completion.

“In addition, 35 Institutional toilets for selected Senior High Schools, markets and other institutions across the country are nearing completion.”

She said through the implementation of the Rural Sanitation Model and Strategy (RSMS), 40,348 household toilets have been constructed to benefit 300,789 people leading to over 3,000 communities been declared Open Defaecation Free (ODF). She added that under the Urban Sanitation Pilot Project, a total of 21,332 household latrines have been constructed in Tamale, Ho and Ashaiman and 30 basic schools have also gained access to improved toilets.

“The cumulative result of the various interventions by Government and other partners is the construction of a total of over 107,000 household toilets, which are benefiting approximately 856,000 persons across the country over the last three years as at June, 2020,” she said.

Source: Daily Mail GH

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