The residents of Ashaiman and Adjei Kojo have been advised to patronise toilet at half price project to improve sanitation in their communities.

The Greater Accra Metropolitan Area–Sanitation and Water Project (GAMA-SWP) is implementing “Get a Decent Toilet at Half Price” and also the provision of school toilets in addition with water supply in pro-poor communities under 11 selected Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the Greater Accra.

It is being facilitated by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development through its Social Accountability Unit (SAU) with a grant of $150 million dollars from the World Bank.

At separate fora at Ashaiman and Adjei Kojo in Tema, Nana Dankwa, Head of the SAU at the Project Coordinating Unit of the Ministry of Local Government said the project had come at the opportune time and would alleviate the plight of the people by paying 50 per cent of the cost.

He urged them to seize the opportunity to own a toilet in their homes to eradicate open defecation and its related diseases such as cholera and typhoid.

Nana Dankwa said the project had targeted the construction of 19,000 household toilets, but so far 750 have been provided since it started two years ago and that by next year November the project period would end.

“The grant money is for Ghanaians and if we fail to utilise it, the remaining would be returned to the donors,” and urged assembly members to whip up education among the people to take advantage of the half price toilet.

Mr Jonathan Aboagye of the SAU said Ghana’s position on the sanitation ladder as seventh in the world and second in Africa was sad and ‘there we need to put our shoulders to the wheel to do something about it.’

“It is shameful that we pride ourselves as the Black Star of Africa, but are being rated as second in Africa as insanitary country in open defecation,” he said.

Mr Aboagye said it was an obligation for households to own a toilet and that public toilets were meant for strangers and travellers “that is why they are built at lorry parks and markets.”

He warned that when the project period elapsed, the assemblies would not entertain any excuses whatsoever and the law would take its full course to prosecute recalcitrant households.

He appealed to parents and school authorities to collaborate to maintain toilet facilities being provided in the schools while urging participants at the fora to spread the message on the toilet at half price.