Let's wage war against open defecation in Central Region - Minister

Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, Central Regional Minister, has declared relentless war against open defecation in the region, which has only 19 percent of decent household toilets.

She described the deficit as 'huge' and tasked Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to support households without toilets with materials to build their own toilets to help curtail the practice which had over the years, become a national canker.

Mrs Assan made the call when she paid a courtesy call on the chiefs and staff of Agona East and West to officially introduce herself as the new minister for the region and to solicit their support to transform the area.

She was unhappy that all efforts by various stakeholders to curtail the menace were yet to yield the desired impact.

The minister who is determined to achieve open defecation-free status for the region also appealed for the collective involvement of all stakeholders to help stop the menace in the region and the country at large.

Mrs Assan said that the practice does not only spread communicable diseases but was an uncivilized phenomenon, which must not be tolerated in society.

She urged landlords to construct household toilets to support an open defecation-free society.

“The country can not achieve any success if household toilets are not available for tenants”, she said.

At Agona Nsabaa Traditional Area, Osabarima Bishop Boa Appiah Afriyie II, pledged his unflinching support to make the transformational agenda of the country a reality.

He appealed to the Minister to use her good offices to help construct the road network in the area that was affecting the local economy and slowed down businesses.

Osabarima Afriyie said the traditional area had secured land for the construction of a hospital to cater for the healthcare needs of people in the area and appealed to the government to quickly consider that project.

He called on the Ghana Police Service to increase security presence in the area to reduce the crime rate and social vices.

Mrs. Assan said she would meet relevant stakeholders to address all the issues raised and thanked them for their support and prayers.

The minister paid a working visit to the two assemblies, interacted with their staff, and urged them to assist management to transform the region.

She visited some ongoing projects, engaged the contractors, and asked them to deliver timely but quality work.