By Kingsley Mamore
Chinderi (O/R) Sept 19, GNA – Residents of Chinderi in the Krachi Nchumuru District of the Oti Region fear an outbreak of cholera as indiscriminate open defecation has become the norm stemming from an abandoned public toilet project.
A 20- seater toilet facility that was initiated under the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP) as part of the ‘one million dollar per constituency initiative’ at a prime area, the market, has been taken over by weeds and reptiles at Chinderi.
Many residents indiscriminately make use of the open spaces at odd hours at the slightest edge to attend to nature’s call.
This has become the daily task for some residents in the community, who have had to contend with fecal matters for the past five years.
Madam Evelyn Waaki, a resident of Chinderi and other members in the community, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said, the situation was worrying, fearing an outbreak of diseases because of an increase in open defecation by residents and traders, who visit the market.
The GNA’s visit in the community sighted, the apartment has been constructed and roofed with the necessary segmentation into various compartments done and what was left was for the water closets to be fixed and plastering of the building to complete it.
Mr Mohammed Ishmael, businessperson in the community told GNA they would want the District Assembly to quickly resume and complete work on the project as a measure to discourage open defecation which was increasing the spate of diseases such as cholera in the area.
Mr Nkrumah Kwasi Ogyile, the District Chief Executive (DCE) told the GNA that the one million dollar per constituency toilet project facility had been repackaged to Coastal Development Authority (CODA) and hoped work would resume on those projects.
Mr Ogyile assured Krachi Nchumuru residents he will visit CODA offices in Accra to negotiate for a quick fix towards addressing the issue.
He however said, there was a similar ongoing toilet project at Borae No 2 market, which was about 50 per cent complete.
GNA