President John Dramani Mahama, on Saturday, directed that no Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies should provide permits to developers whose projects do not include toilet facilities in their building plans.
He said it was unacceptable for a country that gained independence almost 60 years ago to still experience preventable diseases, such as cholera.
President Mahama announced this when he joined the people of Somanya to celebrate their annual Kloyosikplemi Festival on the theme:"Healthy Lifestyle for General Development.”
The festival was instituted in 1992 by Nene Narh Dawutey Ologo VI to commemorate 100 years of their descent from the Krobo Hills to their current settlements in the Yilo Krobo areas.
It was attended by traditional rulers, Ministers of State, Members of Parliament, among other dignitaries.
President Mahama blamed the outbreak of cholera mainly on congested areas that had no toilet facilities at homes, allowing the people to engage in 'open defecation' that subsequently resulted into cholera.
He announced that the Government was instituting a pilot programme in congested areas, where landlords and landladies would be provided with sanitary facilities on hire purchase basis, and if it worked, government would replicate it throughout the country.
President Mahama said the District Assemblies had the power to implement the by-laws that would bring to book people who violated the rules in terms of sanitation in their areas.
On the people’s reminder for the establishment of a University in Somanya, he announced that Cabinet had approved the establishment of the University and the papers would soon be presented to Parliament for approval.
He said many communities would also receive electricity, potable water and good roads as their share of the national cake to better their lot.
He urged them to spread the education on the Ebola Virus Disease to prevent its spread to Ghana.
Osayem Tetteh Odorkor Tuumeh, Acting President of the Yilo Krobo Traditional Council, appealed to the government for the provision of a district hospital to cater for the health needs of the growing population in the Yilo Krobo areas.
In his welcoming address, the acting President of the Traditional Council reminded President Mahama of his promise to establish a public University in Somanya two years ago.
He appealed to the youth to reduce their intake of alcoholic beverages and avoid self-medication to reduce the 'self-inflicted' diseases that were acquired through wrong lifestyles.
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