Volta Foundation commended

Ho, Nov. 20, GNA - Togbega Gabusu VI, Paramount Chief of the Gbi Traditional Area, has commended the Volta Foundation, a non-governmental organization, for spearheading social development in the Volta Region. He said this at the commissioning of two "Enviroloo" non-flush waterless closet toilet facilities funded by the Australian High Commission at a cost of 13,950 Ghana cedis in the Hohoe Municipality. Funding for the project was facilitated by the Volta Foundation founded by Mr Raymond Okudzeto, a businessman who is also President of the Foundation.

Togbega Gabusu said "If 10 citizens of the Volta Region can do as Mr Okudzeto has done, then, the region will be transformed in record time". The Australian High Commissioner, Mr William Williams, said "Volta Foundation is a very serious and strong Foundation to work with. I am encouraged by the seriousness of its approach". He said access to funding from his country's Direct Aid Programme is competitive and only serious organizations could gain approval under the Programme and would encourage the Foundation to continue to apply for assistance from the Programme. Mr Okudzeto said as a community-based development and people oriented NGO, the Foundation seeks to bring improvement to deprived rural communities in the region. "Improved community health directly impacts the productivity levels of rural people leading to improved income levels and self-reliance". Mr Samuel Eshun, Engineer of ECMP Limited, who built the facilities, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that the technology was developed in South Africa and works with the concept of drying the toilet.

It is odourless and uses no water, a great advantage in the light of growing water scarcity in the country. Mr Eshun said the toilet has a device which absorbs air from outside, circulates in the chamber and comes out through outlet vent pipes. The black surface plates at the back of the facility absorb heat to dry up the faecal matter in the chamber thereby reducing the volume of the faecal matter by five percent of its volume. 20 Nov 08