Participants at a two- day workshop on water and sanitation in Bongo District in the Upper East Region, has identified indiscriminate burial of corpses in residential areas as one of the major issues confronting health.
The workshop indicated that the corpses were buried indiscriminately on farm lands and shallow graves leading to the emitting of bad odour and the washing of the remains into water bodies, which could lead to an outbreak.
The participants were unanimous in their call for a cemetery in the district and bye- laws to prevent farming close to water resources and banning of the use of chemicals for fishing.
The workshop organised by the District Assembly, WaterAid Ghana and Rural Aid, two NGOs was aimed at building the capacity of the participants on how to implement, monitor and evaluate water and sanitation issues.
The participants comprised heads of decentralised departments, water boards and district water and sanitation boards, water vendors, traditional authorities, civil society groups and NGOs,
Naba Baba Salifu Aleemyarum, Paramount Chief of Bongo and a member of the Community Water and Sanitation Agency said plans were far advanced by the traditional council to locate a common place in the area for a cemetery.
Mr Ibrahim Musah, Policy Manager of WaterAid Ghana, entreated the participants to ensure that they perform their responsibilities with zeal so as to bring about positive change on the efficient management of water and sanitation projects.
A seven-member District Monitoring and Co-ordination Committee on Water and Sanitation was formed and tasked with the responsibility of implementing, monitoring and evaluation of water and sanitation ventures
The members were made up of representatives from the Ghana Health Service, Ghana Education Service, traditional authorities and civil society organisations among others.