Ho, June 17, GNA – The Ho Municipal Environmental Health and Sanitation Department has held a day’s stakeholder forum to assess the implementation of Urine Divert Dry Toilet (UDDT) Promotion in the Municipality.
The forum discussed successes chalked since the implementation of the programmme, challenges and plans for the implementation of the next phase.
It also looked at how best to ensure proper maintenance of the existing facilities in beneficiary schools and institutions.
The Municipal Assembly with funding support from the Global Dry Toilet Association, Finland, has been promoting the use of Dry Toilet at homes and institutions in the Municipality since 2015, for a sustainable environment.
Mr Aaron Kofi Amedzro, Ho Municipal Environmental Health Officer (MEHO) and Focal Person of the Project said some significant progress were made since the inception of the programmme and a total of 20 communities, including; Ziavi-Lume, Hoviefe, Hodzo-Ve, Zidakope, Akoefe, Tato, Nyive-Aklamakpetoe, Hodzo-Wortikpo, Matse-Bethelia, Takla-Nyekornakpoe have so far benefited from the project.
He said 53 households and seven institutional and one individual facilities were constructed, while another four households and three institutional facilities were currently under construction.
The Environmental Health Officer said the Assembly was implementing the programme with the School of Hygiene and Ho Technical University for academic and research purposes respectively.
He said in order to use the end product effectively to derive maximum benefit, they were also working with the Ho Municipal Agricultural Department for technical guidance to apply the end product on farms.
Mr Amedzro mentioned beneficiaries’ delay in completing their privy rooms, unwillingness of people to accept and use the end product, poor maintenance culture and misuse of school facilities as some challenges.
Another challenge is lack of means of transport for field facilitators who are the main implementers of the project from the Environmental Health and Sanitation Department to visit communities to undertake their day-to-day activities.
He said sanitation was important as health was important to enjoy wealth and called on all to support in ensuring a clean and safe environment.
Madam Evelyn Vuvor, Ho Municipal Coordinator of School Health Education Programme (SHEP), asked SHEP coordinators in the beneficiary schools to put in their best in maintaining the facilities by cleaning the environment.
Madam Vuvor urged the coordinators to continue to promote habits of good hygiene and sanitation practices among the learners.
Togbe Adzie Lakle Howusu XII, Awafiaga of Asogli State, said the Environmental Health and Sanitation Department deserved a pat on the back for their hard work in ensuring cleanliness and called on them to continue with the good work to protect the environment and make it safe for future generations.
Heads of some beneficiary schools present at the forum described the UDDT as a good facility in promoting a safe and clean environment for sustainable sanitation.
Some said the end product was good to improve soil fertility, disclosing that crops in their school farms grew well wherever they applied the end product on them.
GNA