Credit: Sarah Bandal Dubure, GNA
Bongo (U/E), Nov. 13, GNA – Mr Henry Ayamba, the Bongo District Director of the Department of Agriculture, has appealed to the government and benevolent organisations to support the construction of a perimeter wall around the office premises following persistent incidents of open defecation by residents.
According to him, the office premises had become a convenient place for some residents to defecate, with staff repeatedly finding human excreta around the building and cleaners constantly complaining about the situation.
He said staff were helpless in addressing the problem due to the absence of a fence to restrict public access to the premises.
Mr Ayamba recalled an incident in which he caught a man defecating within the office compound while he was at work.
He told the GNA in an interview in Bongo that, “I was in my office one afternoon when someone came and squatted right in front of me to defecate. I came out and asked him whether he was aware that this was an office, and he got up and went behind the building.
“He went round the building and later exited through the back, only to find another place to continue defecating because I was following him. So, you can imagine what happens when we are not here,” he added.
The Director said the situation had compelled the office to appeal to the District Assembly for assistance, but the Assembly indicated that it did not have the financial resources to support the construction of a fence.
“We have appealed to the Assembly to consider building a fence for us, but since the Assembly has complained about a lack of funds, perhaps any well-meaning Ghanaian could step in and help us,” he said.
Mr Ayamba also expressed concern that the office premises had become an alternative route for motorists, posing a threat to the safety of the organisation’s property and equipment.
“Sometimes, we are afraid that with these passers-by, our machines could be tampered with. We have gathered reports that some of the children around have been coming to tamper with our treasures,” he said.
He said fencing the premises would also protect their agricultural demonstration activities, recalling that crops cultivated within the compound had previously been destroyed by roaming animals.
He said the office cultivated cowpea on the premises last year as part of its demonstration activities, but the crops were destroyed after residents allowed their animals to roam freely.
Mr Ayamba said staff sometimes arrested the animals and handed them over to the Paramount Chief, but the practice had continued despite those interventions.
He further expressed concern about the indiscriminate littering of the premises, explaining that some residents used the compound as a resting place during funeral celebrations.
“I remember a couple of times when I came here and found people lying by the entrance to my office. I had to tell them that this was an office premises and that they should move, after which they started folding their mats to relocate,” he recalled.
The Director described the situation as distressing and appealed to the government, through the District Assembly, as well as benevolent organisations and individuals, to support the construction of a perimeter wall to protect the facility.
“We are therefore appealing to the government, through the Assembly, and any well-meaning Ghanaian who can come to our aid to do so,” he said.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Sarah Bandal Dubure
Reporter’s email: [email protected]