Twifo- Hemang (C/R)Aug. 16, GNA- Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Monday advised Estate developers especially landlords of rented compound houses to as matter of obligation provide toilet facilities on such premises.

"In this era of fast development, landlords in some of our cities still build houses without toilet facilities and expect government to build public toilets for their use, which is highly unacceptable."

Vice President Mahama gave this advice when he symbolically inaugurated 39 small town water and sanitation projects at Twifo Hemang in the Central Region at a total cost of GHC 40million.

The 40 projects, 20 each for the Central and Western regions were funded by the European Union and government of Ghana and would benefit a total of 260, 000 people in the form of potable water and sanitation facilities.

He said the provision of toilet facilities in private houses should be seen as mandatory for all estate developers so that tenants do not suffer unnecessarily during their stay in those houses.

The Vice President said as a developing country, good drinking water and sanitation facilities were necessary for achievement of the Millennium Development Goals regretting that over 40 per cent of Ghanaians were still struggling to access potable water.

He said last year alone, government apart from other interventions, committed 30 million Ghana Cedis with an additional 3.6 million Ghana Cedis this year to provide potable water and sanitation facilities across the country.

Vice President Mahama appealed to all user Associations and various boards of the projects to live up to the task of constantly maintaining their facilities in order not to contract water borne diseases that had plagued them over the years.

Mr. Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, commended the European Union for their support in the provision of infrastructure and pledged government's support to their activities in the country.

He appealed to the Community Water and Sanitation Agency and various Municipal and District assemblies to continue to liaise with their partners to acquire projects that would enhance their development.

Mr. Bagbin gave the assurance that government would provide communities with all the amenities that would make them comfortable irrespective of where they lived.

Mrs. Ama Benyiwa-Doe, Central Regional Minister, called on the people to reciprocate the gesture by cultivating the culture of maintenance that would give the projects long lifespan.