*Addressing Our ‘Call of Nature’ Problem*
It’s official; Ghana has a sh*t, sorry, toilet problem. “11% of Ghanaians
have access to improved latrines”, a report carried on ghanaweb recently
informed us (see http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/printnew...
General News of Thursday, 19 November 2009).
Put another way, 89% of the population DOESN’T have access to improved
latrines! The report went on to say that: “51 per cent of Ghanaians use
shared latrines or public toilets, which are usually not accepted as
improved facilities”.
So, what about guests to our dear country? Where and how are our foreign
visitors supposed to go to ‘relieve’ themselves. What statement does this
unfortunate situation make about us?
Back in March, 2009, I wrote a piece for ghanaweb on our ‘Toilet problem’
in Ghana (see
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=159498Feature
Article of Friday, 27 March 2009).
Responses were varied, ranging from the encouraging, down to what can only
be described as “very unhelpful”. It is also an unfortunate human habit
that we are great at talking and criticising, but very slow in offering
solutions to these same problems.
The 19th of November has been designated as *World Toilet Day* and is part
of the efforts to address the overall Sanitation problem in general, of
which Ghana has no shortage of as anyone realistic enough can confirm.
“In 2001 WTO declared *19th November* World Toilet Day (WTD). Today it is
celebrated in over 19 countries with over 51 events being hosted by various
water and sanitation advocates. World Toilet Organization created WTD to
raise global awareness of the struggle 2.6 billion face every day without
access to proper, clean sanitation. WTD also brings to the forefront the
health, emotional and psychological consequences the poor endure as a
result of inadequate sanitation.
WTD's popularity is gaining momentum, and in 2010 there were 51 events
spanning 19 countries. Our "Big Squat" campaign generated 24 "Big Squats"
globally and in Singapore over 600 squatters joined the cause in six
locations island-wide. WTO would love to see our day become "The" event
that represents the sanitation crisis globally, and we strongly encourage
our members, volunteers, the community, media and partners to get behind
our cause and support our day. (
http://www.worldtoilet.org/wto/index.php/our-works/world-toilet-day)
Maybe this is also the right time for Ghanaians to start thinking of
practical ideas to address this basic, but important health problem? In my
March, 2009 piece, I painted a broad picture and argued why we should
urgently address this problem.
As I don’t also think any one person has a monopoly on ideas or solutions,
I would like to propose that we open a ‘Solutions Bank’.
What this means is that people will send in ideas they can come up with or
any practical projects they have undertaken or seen somewhere. These will
then be put up and people will comment on them.
People could also put forward suggestions such as campaigns to put pressure
on those officials charged with the responsibility for providing the
physical infrastructure, not forgetting the individual’s own responsibility
in looking after these facilities once they have been provided.
As I am making a suggestion that the ‘Solutions Bank’ should be filled with
contributions from everyone, I will end this piece here and offer my email
address as the initial contact.
I also hope one of the suggestions will be how to replace my address as the
contact point and how we may communicate the ‘solutions’ to the wider world.
Let’s look forward to a Ghana which is free from a ‘toilet problem’ and,
hence, having to ‘talk sh*t’ only for the right reasons.
Ato P K Gomez
atopaak@gmail.com
