Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly asked to cover drains

Bolgatanga, Nov 16, GNA - Participants at a seminar in Bolgatanga, on Thursday appealed to the Bolgatanga Municipally Assembly to cover all drains in the minicipallity.

This, they said, would reduce mosquito breeding, stop people from throwing refuse and pouring dirty water in the gutters, it would also obliterate the dirty sight of it all and reduce the stench that comes from the open gutters.

The Participants included representative from the Butchers Association, Market Women's Association, Chop Bar Operators, Drinking Bar Operators, Mechanics, Sachet Water Association, Hair Dressers and Tailors Association all from Bolgatanga.

The Policy dialogue on sanitation Seminar, organized by the "Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation" gave them the opportunity to discuss general sanitation in Bolgatanga, including refuse disposal, toilet facilities and food hygiene. On food hygiene they complained that non-registered sellers sat in dirty surroundings, where flies could easily infect the food. Also they said stray animals defecate around and sometimes put their months in cooked food meant for sale.

The Participants expressed concern at the rate of typhoid infection among the people and said in addition to the possible food source of the typhoid germ, one could not rule out tap water as sometimes dirty water flows from taps when the pipes burst and are not fixed in good time.

Discussing toilet facilities, they said public toilets were inadequate and many houses did not have private toilets were inadequate and many houses did not have private toilets thereby forcing many people to defecate in gutters while others threw their stool on rubbish pumps. Personnel of Rural Aid, an NGO that assist individuals to build toilets in their houses said their efforts at trying to convince some landlords to build toilets proved futile as they either showed no interest or stopped in the process of digging. Mrs Zenabu Ayariga, Rural Aid, said every household that accepted to have a toilet was given five bags of cement and iron rods, "yet, for this year only 30 household have successfully built their toilets with our help, she said. The participants appealed to the Municipal Assembly to enforce its bye-laws made two years ago, that every house should have a toilet.