The Ashaiman community has recorded a significant reduction in the open defaecation canker as a result of an advocacy by the Media Coalition against Open Defecation to fight the sanitation challenge.
Currently, a vast land near the China Mall and behind the Medal Pharmacy and Diagnostic Centre in Tukalu, Ashaiman, with high tension structures built on it had been freed of open defaecation, when members of MCODe paid a working visit to the site on Tuesday.
The visit was part of the activities for commemorating the 2019 "World Toilet Day," on the theme, "Leaving No One Behind".
The Day falls on November 19 of every year, for the world to promote and inspire action to tackle sanitation crisis.
In May 2019, members of MCODe in collaboration with officials from the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) and the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly saw excreta spread around the area because of the negative attitude of some residents.
The problem of open defecation was prevalent in the Tulaku Community because of unavailability of toilet facilities in many households.
MCODe embarked on an advocacy campaign with its partners and as a result, the concern attracted the attention of some well-meaning citizens within the area, who offered to support and control the problem.
Alhaji Abdul-Rahim Haruna, a businessman and a philanthropist, who at the time of the visit had sponsored the fencing of the site with a wire mesh to deter people from defaecating openly on the site, told the media in an interview that the site was unappealing, especially as it was just at the entrance to the Ashaiman community.
"It is embarrassing when you are entering Ashaiman and are met with this unpleasant site and foul smell. So, as a native of this community, I decided to contribute my quota to sanitation development in this community," he said.
He has also constructed a temporary public toilet structure for members of the community to pave way for the demolition of the old dilapidated structure, which indirectly forced people to practice open defaecation.
Alhaji Haruna gave the assurance that he was also willing to reconstruct a new mosque so that he could demolish the one close to the site to make the place more appealing.
"With the support of MCODe, the Municipal Assembly, Police and others, I believe I can help to significantly reduce sanitation problems within this area."
Mr Nangodi Baba, a Senior Environmental Health Officer, Ashaiman Municipal Assembly, said the advocacy work by MCODe and partners has increased access to household toilets to 55 per cent in the Tulaku Electoral Area of Ashaiman.
He said a programme under the UNICEF and the GAMA Project, which allows households to pay ¢1,000.00 instead of ¢4,000.00 for a toilet facility to be constructed for them, under the "One House, One Toilet" project.
Mr Abubakari Ziblimhudu, the Head of Liquid Waste Management, Ashaiman Municipal Assembly, said that even though members of the community were being encouraged to get household toilets under the GAMA Project, access to land was difficult.
He urged the people in the community, who are mostly low-income earners, to register with the Municipal Assembly to benefit from the toilet facility project.