The Minister for Inner Cities and Zongo Development, Mustapha Hamid has admonished landlords and residents of inner cities to create spaces in their homes for the construction of toilet facilities, as provision of such amenities is non-negotiable.
He made this known during the launch of the first phase of Household Toilets in Ga Mashie today, April 10, 2019.
“Ghana is one of the nations in the whole world not even in Africa with the highest rates of open defecation.”
“And, if we’re to actualize the president’s vision that Accra should be the cleanest if not one of the cleanest cities in the entire African continent, then the project to provide every single household with a toilet facility becomes non-negotiable, it is not something that we can negotiate…”
According to the Minister, the project is not only targeted at providing toilet facilities for residents in the enclave of inner cities but also aimed at restoring human dignity through seeking an end to open defecation.
Commenting on the coverage of the household toilet project, Mr. Hamid noted that the first phase of the project is expected to cover 52 households in the Ga Mashie enclave but would see a possible extension in subsequent months.
“…this project is going to bring relief to 52 household in our inner city and even if we were to say to say that every household has just 20 people, 20 times 52 is a lot of number and that gives expression to President Akufo-Addo’s vision that we need to create a society of opportunity for everybody irrespective of where they live...,” he stated.
He bemoaned the soaring level of poverty prevalent amongst residents of inner cities and their inability to pay the subsidized amount they were required to pay for the commencement of the first phase of the project.
As a means of seeking an end to open defecation, he admonished landlords to as a matter of necessity create spaces in their homes for the construction of a household toilet in the subsequent months.
Mr. Hamid further revealed that several sanctions would be rolled out curb open defecation and other related issues bedeviling inner cities after the full project is launched.
He, therefore, reassured the people of his commitment to solving all the problems that have plagued inner cities.
“I can assure you, all of the issues that bedevil inner city citizens, I am alive to those problems and I am going to resolve those challenges…one step at a time,” he pledged.
