By Mildred Siabi-Mensah /Veronica Baffour Kyei
Sekondi, March 13, GNA – The Environmental Health Department of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan area has arrested some 20 persons for openly defecating along the beaches.
The offenders according to Mr. Abdul Karim Hudu, Metropolitan Environmental Health Director in an interview with Ghana News Agency had been asked to pay spot fines of GHS 600.00 and as a matter of urgency to construct household facilities.
Open defecation continues to be a major environmental health challenge to many residents living around the coast of new Takoradi, Nkotompo, Assaman and Nketsiahkrom, but to mention a few and seems to erode gains made by local and international NGOs to stop the practice eventually.
Mr. Karim Hudu said the 20 persons arrested between January and February had also been educated to understand and appreciate the need to own private places of convenience to keep the beaches neat and attract tourism…”the beach should serve as a place for relaxation and not home to home excreta “.
The Assembly, he revealed, had a project to construct many household facilities and encouraged property owners and homeowners to particularly make use of the opportunity and partnership to help in the quest for cleaner environment and city.
GNA