World Vision commissions water facility on International Toilet Day

World Vision International has commissioned a solar mechanized water facility for the Tupint School and nearby communities in the Tempane District, Upper East Region.

It was part of its efforts to eradicate open defecation and promote sanitation in the country.

The 6,500 US Dollar facility has nine taps and is expected to pump over 2,000 gallons of water daily to supply over 678 school population and 60 households in the surrounding communities.

World Vision commissioned and presented the facility to the communities recently during the celebration of this year’s International Toilets Day.

The event was held under the theme: “When Nature Calls”, at Tupint.

Mr Cephas Wedam, the WASH Project Officer of World Vision international, called on the public to stop open defecation and use the toilets because that would make a positive impact on their health.

Open defecation, he said, could cause serious soil transmitted diseases and waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, dysentery and typhoid among others.

The World Toilet Day is an annual event celebrated in November every year focusing on the importance of proper sanitation and access to clean and safe toilets for all.

“Estimates by United Nations reveal that 4.5 billion people live without safely managed sanitation and 892 million people still practice open defecation when nature calls, he said.

Mr Abdul-Razak Yakah, the Coordinating Director of the Tempane District, said the District Assembly would embark on household inspection to ensure that all houses have toilets and would impose sanctions on landlords whose houses have no toilets.

It is estimated, he said, that only 15 per cent of Ghanaians currently have access to toilet facilities in their homes, whilst 35 per cent of urban dwellers patronize public toilets and 19 per cent of the population defecate in the open.

He said it is government’s policy to ensure that every household owns a safe toilet by 2030, as a part of measures to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) six on environment sustainability and called the community members to support the country to achieve it.

World Vision is a child focused organization that works with children and families of all faiths and religious backgrounds and it ensures that good sanitation and the provision of portable drinking water is made available for families.