Improving Sanitation in Accra : Three schools benefit from new toilet facilities

Three basic schools in the Okaikoi South Sub-Metropolitan District have been provided with new institutional toilet facilities under the Greater Accra Sustainable Sanitation and Livelihood Improvement Project (GASSLIP), a project aimed at improving sanitation in public schools and communities.

The facilities, funded by the African Development Bank, include a 14-seater at Kaneshie 2 Methodist Primary and JHS, a 12-seater at Kaneshie Bishop 1 and 2 Basic School, and another 14-seater at Police Depot 3 and 4 Primary and JHS.

Speaking at the handover ceremony held on October 30, 2024, the Accra Mayor, Hon. Elizabeth Kwatsoe Sackey, expressed appreciation to the African Development Bank (ADB) for funding the project and commended the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources and the AMA’s technical team for their roles in overseeing the project’s timely completion.

Mayor Sackey stressed the need for such facilities in supporting a clean and safe learning environment, particularly in light of recent reports of a cholera outbreak in some areas of the Greater Accra Region.

She emphasised the Assembly’s commitment to enforcing sanitation bylaws and shared plans to establish a dedicated sanitation court to prosecute sanitation offenders and deter future violations.

The Mayor encouraged all stakeholders, particularly the school authorities and students, to take responsibility for maintaining the new facilities to ensure they serve their intended purpose, adding that these projects were vital in creating a cleaner and more resilient Accra, in line with the vision of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

“Your commitment has made it possible for us to provide these essential services to our children, supporting their health and enhancing their educational experience,” she said and called for continued cooperation in creating a city that prioritises the well-being of every resident, beginning with young students in the metropolis.

Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Hon. Lydia Seyram Alhassan, stated in a speech read on her behalf that the GASSLIP project would significantly impact student well-being, attendance, and retention.

According to her, 54 of the 60 planned facilities under GASSLIP had been completed, benefiting over 60,000 learners and teachers across the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area.

The Minister highlighted the disability-friendly nature of the facilities and amenities for girls during their time of the month, adding that each facility was equipped with a large water storage system to ensure continuous water supply, reinforcing the importance of the facilities in creating a healthier, more sustainable school environment.

The Minister also stressed the importance of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services, noting that these services were essential to public health, education, economic growth, and social equity.

"WASH is the foundation of human survival and plays a vital role in public health, education, economic growth, and social justice,” she said.

Reaffirming the Ministry's commitment to the "Toilet for All" initiative, she urged households and institutions to end open defecation by constructing their own toilets. She encouraged Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to enforce sanitation by-laws and support providing sanitation facilities in schools and healthcare institutions.

Minister Alhassan advised school administrators to maintain the new facilities to ensure longevity and accessibility for all students, staff, and visitors.

The Member of Parliament for the Okaikwei South Constituency and also the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Darkoa Newman who was present at the commissioning also stressed the importance of the facility and the help it will bring to the parents, tutors and pupils of the benefited schools.

She emphasized the need to keep and maintain these facilities to last longer and serve the purposes of their construction.

She tasked both teachers and the management to see to it that the facilities are well kept and in good shape always.

"You understand that for it to last longer for other children to come and use it. The management will take care of it but you also have the responsibility to ensure that that you use it in a manner that it will last for other students to come and use it" she said.

Hon. Newman thanked the Ministry of Sanitation, the ADB and all those who worked tirelessly to make the initiative a success.