HUNDREDS QUEUE TO USE TOILET IN KOBLIMAHAGU ...On World toilet day

(Daily Graphic, Nov 23, 2011, Page 19)

HUNDREDS of residents of Koblimahagu and its surroundings in the Tamale metropolis last Saturday formed long queues in their attempt to access the only toilet in the area, which was actually constructed to serve school children in a nearby school.

Children queue to use their school toilet in Koblimahagu

This symbolic act by the residents sought to bring the attention of duty bearers to the lack of sanitary facilities in the Koblimahagu vicinity, which has resulted in the practice of open defecation, a situation that has dire consequences on the health of the people.

Two non-governmental organisations, WaterAid and New Energy, partnered to organise the event in line with activities to mark the World Toilet Day, which is held annually to remind world leaders that millions of people still lack access to improved sanitary facilities.

Koblimahagu is one of Tamale’s suburbs located in the south of the city, about 2000 miles from the city centre. It is estimated that more than 5000 people live in the area.

Whiles some of the residents rely on a six-seat toilet facility constructed for an Islamic School in the area, others use a public toilet that is located close to Kukuo, a neighbouring community.

However, over 70 per cent of the residents resort to the use of bushes, uncompleted buildings and polythene bags when responding to nature’s call.

Aside from these, water facilities in the area are woefully deficient, access roads remain in a deplorable condition and there is no electricity in about 90 per cent of the community.

The assembly man for the Koblimahagu electoral area, Mr Iddrisu Mustapha told the Daily Graphic that the lack of sanitation facilities had been a major problem in the community.

He said he and other stakeholders had engaged the assembly on a number of occasions to address this issue, but nothing concrete has yet been realised.

Mr Iddrisu said apart from sanitation problems, Koblimahagu and its surroundings were in a myriad of problems, including the unavailability of electricity, lack of access roads and the lack of potable water.

“We contributed some money to buy pipelines and provided labour to help the Ghana Water Company Limited to lay these pipes, but it is still inadequate,” he stated.

He said the Guinea Worm Eradication Programme (GWEP) had given indications it would further extend the pipelines by 200 metres.

In an interview, the Chief Executive Officer of New Energy, Mr Thomas Sayibu Imoro said the celebration of the World Toilet Day at Koblimahagu was aimed at drawing the attention of the assembly and other stakeholders to the sanitation challenges facing peri-urban and rural areas in the Tamale metropolis.

He however noted that although the focus was on toilets, New Energy with support from WaterAid, was advocating the provision of potable water facilities to communities that had no access to clean water.

He said this was part of the ‘Water works campaign’, which seeks to advocate increased and sustained financing for Water and Sanitation.

“Certainly, we cannot ensure sanitation and personal hygiene without water. The absence of water creates a sanitation mess, because there would not be water for hand-washing or for domestic use,” he stated.