Tema Manhean, May 19, GNA – Some residents of Kpotame in Tema Manhean have appealed to the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) to complete an abandoned public toilet facility for the community as they lacked an acceptable place of convenience.
According to them, the construction of the 10-seater water closet facility with a bio-digester which was started some three years ago as part of the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) sanitation project had been abandoned for almost two years now.
A visit by the Ghana News Agency at the facility indicated that the abandoned toilet facility was roofed with plumbing pipe works done awaiting fittings; wall tiles in the 10 cubicles had also been fixed.
As part of national developmental efforts, the GNA-Tema Regional Office has embarked on a project dubbed, “tracking of development projects” in Districts under the jurisdiction as part of efforts to enhance accountability and deepen grassroots participation in local government.
The GNA-Tema project seeks to improve policy management and decision making system in the districts to ensure that policy analysis processes, impacts and the feedback systems necessary for effective executive decision making are adhered to.
The GNA-Tema identified that, floor tiles and water closets were yet to be fixed, some few refuse were also seen inside with some weeds at the back of the facility.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA)Tema office, some residents said due to the unavailability of a public toilet to serve the over 4,000 population of Kpotame, majority of them ease themselves at the seaside when nature calls.
Mr Charles Kpogo, a resident said it was worrying that the toilet facility was yet to be completed noting that the only public toilet in the community belonged to a private person and residents were therefore required to pay 70 pesewas per visit.
Mr Kpogo added that the said private toilet facility also closed early causing inconvenience to residents who may have the need to use the facility in the night.
“Most of us use the seaside and sometimes when you get there you have to maneuver carefully as the place may be full of toilet,” he said, adding that the abandoned facility when completed would help the community a lot as its location was near the only open space in the area where events such as funerals and out doorings were held.
Another resident said the project started well raising their hopes only for it to be abandoned leaving them with no option than to use the seashore.
“We know the effects of using the seaside as our toilet facility, we have even been told to stop going there but the question is where do they want us to use if we do not have public toilets to serve our needs”.
Mr Joshua Agudah, Assemblyman for the Dade Agbo electoral area told the GNA that he had raised the abandoned toilet issue at Assembly meetings about three months ago adding that leadership of the TMA had promised to complete the project to serve its intended purpose.
Mr Agudah added however that there was another facility in the community which was abandoned for about eleven years ago noting that he has started working on it and expanding its initial 12-seater concept to a 24-seater one.
GNA