Those convicted are Albert Quaye, Kwame Owusu Ansah, Daniel Nunoo, Razak Siedu, Haruna Abdul Rauf, Desmond Okeyika, and Moro Sebere.

The court, presided over by Her Lordship Rosemond Vera Aryeetey, found each of the offenders guilty and fined 50 penalty units, equivalent to GH₵600, or in default, will serve three months imprisonment.

According to the prosecutor, Nii Okine Aryee the convicts were arrested by Public Health Officers of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), led by Madam Florence Kuukyi, during a special enforcement operation on 7th October 2025.

Speaking after the judgement, the Head of Public Affairs of the AMA, Gilbert Nii Ankrah, explained that the offenders were apprehended while “busily engaged in open defecation and indiscriminate dumping of refuse,” acts he described as not only offensive to the city’s sanitation bye-laws but also dangerous to public health.

He noted that such practices contribute to the spread of diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and other diarrheal infections that continue to threaten the well-being of residents.

Mr Ankrah indicated that the Assembly had re-strategized its approach under the “Reset Accra” agenda, intensifying surveillance and enforcement to ensure strict compliance with sanitation regulations.

“This is only the beginning,” he said, revealing that more offenders had already been arrested and were being arraigned before the court.

He said, “With the right support and cooperation from the public, we will sustain enforcement until Accra becomes the clean and healthy city we all desire.”

He called on residents to desist from acts that undermine the city’s cleanliness efforts and support the ongoing ‘Clean Accra Now’ campaign to rid the capital of filth.

Source: AMA

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Speaking to Adom News at Goaso, Ms. Ntiamoah noted that many houses, especially those built decades ago, were constructed without toilet facilities, making it difficult for the assembly to tackle the problem effectively.

“The situation is worrying because it poses serious health risks to the community,” she said.

According to her, support from the central government and collaboration with NGOs would be crucial in assisting households to own toilet facilities, particularly since assemblies have been directed not to construct new public toilets.

Ms. Ntiamoah also raised concerns about poor sanitation practices among residents, citing indiscriminate littering as another pressing issue.

“The rate at which some residents litter indiscriminately is alarming. We must all take sanitation seriously and desist from such practices,” she urged.

She emphasized that addressing the sanitation challenges requires not only government intervention but also the active cooperation of residents to improve hygiene and safeguard the environment.

Source: Sammy Asare

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The operation, led by Regional Environmental Health Officer Cynthia Sekyere, underscores the region’s commitment to improving health and sanitation standards. Open defecation and unhygienic practices remain critical public health challenges, contributing to the spread of typhoid and other gastrointestinal infections.

The Oti Region has recorded over 23,000 typhoid cases in the first half of 2025, largely attributed to inadequate sanitation facilities and unclean water sources, causing increased health-related issues among residents.

During a routine inspection in Dambai, the regional capital, the task force apprehended individuals defecating in open spaces near the District Police Station. Such practices pose significant health risks and environmental hazards.

Cynthia Sekyere stressed the importance of residents adhering to sanitation regulations and taking responsibility for their health and surroundings. Following the arrests, additional sanitation offenders have been identified and are expected to face court proceedings.

Adom News reporter Obrempongba Owusu also observed indiscriminate unhygienic practices among residents, including refuse dumped in polythene bags mixed with faeces, posing further environmental risks.

The task force has launched educational campaigns to raise awareness about the dangers of open defecation and promote proper hygiene practices. Regional Environmental Health has also appealed for additional logistics to strengthen their operations.

Source: Obrempongba K. Owusu

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Speaking during a recent visit by members of the Media Coalition against Open Defecation (M-CODE) to Anlo Afiadenyigba, Mr. Kwatsikor acknowledged the progress made since the government’s declaration of the first Saturday of every month as National Sanitation Day.

“Our sanitation issues have been a problem for decades, but we thank God that the government has instituted the first Saturday of every month as sanitation day nationwide,” he said.

He commended the positive response of the Afiadenyigba community to the initiative, citing strong participation in clean-up exercises.

Strict Sanitation Enforcement

The Assembly Member disclosed that local authorities have implemented strict measures to ensure compliance with sanitation initiatives.

“We now have a bylaw that mandates community members to take part in clean-up exercises every Sunday. Anyone who fails to participate will be sanctioned by the chiefs and elders, and persistent offenders risk court action and penalties,” he explained.

Despite these measures, Mr. Kwatsikor emphasised that inadequate resources remain a major obstacle to sustainable sanitation improvement.

“We lack the basic tools that will help us create the cleanest environment in Ghana,” he appealed, calling on individuals, organisations, and government agencies to provide equipment and support.

Open Defecation: A Critical Threat

Mr. Kwatsikor identified open defecation as the most pressing challenge affecting the communities.

“Open defecation is causing serious health problems. We need support to construct household toilets. Even 50 percent assistance would make a huge difference,” he said.

Tackling Environmental Hazards

Beyond sanitation, he revealed plans to construct proper enclosures for livestock, particularly pigs and other animals that roam freely. He also expressed concern about plastic pollution in local water bodies, warning that it endangers aquatic life and the wider ecosystem.

The community is exploring plastic recycling as a potential solution.

Part of WASH Week 2025

The M-CODE visit to the Volta Region was part of the 2025 Ghana Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Week, organised by the Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) in collaboration with M-CODE and other partners.

This year’s national theme is “WASH for a Healthy Ghana, Everyone, Everywhere,” while M-CODE’s complementary theme is “Dignity for All, Toilets for All: End Open Defecation Now.”

The coalition’s campaign included market sensitisation activities, clean-up exercises, and advocacy efforts in several communities, including Mepe, Anloga, Anlo Afiadenyigba, Ho, Keta, and surrounding areas.

Mr. Kwatsikor’s appeal underscores the need for stronger collaboration between government, civil society, and development partners to improve sanitation and eliminate open defecation in Ghana’s rural communities.

Source: Ivy Setordjie

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The centre’s clay roofing sheets are severely leaking, and its only two toilet facilities—one each for males and females—have become death traps.

This has forced patients to defecate in nearby bushes, raising fears of a looming public health crisis.

Hawa Ayembe, a patient at the facility, told Adom News that many patients now use the bush for fear of falling into the deteriorating toilet manholes. She appealed to the government to urgently construct new toilet facilities to restore dignity and safety at the centre.

When Adom News visited the health centre, both staff and patients were seen taking shelter under trees during a heavy storm. Workers revealed off record that they often abandon the centre when it rains, seeking refuge in a nearby school or returning home because the entire facility leaks badly.

The situation in the labour ward is equally dire. The facility has only one delivery bed, which is woefully inadequate as they often attend to up to five deliveries a day.

Health workers are calling on the Bole District Assembly and the Member of Parliament for Bole-Bamboi—who also serves as the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Yussif Sulemana—to urgently intervene and help restore the facility to a functional and hygienic state.

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This concerning statistic was disclosed by Mr. Augustus Awity, the Regional Coordinating Director and Chairman of the Regional Interagency Coordinating Committee on Sanitation (RICCS), during this year’s World Toilet Day celebration at Agorhokpo, a farming community in the Agotime-Ziope District.

The event, themed “Toilet – A Place for Peace”, emphasized the importance of toilets in promoting dignity, equality, and human rights.

Mr. Awity noted that while 34.6% of households in the Volta Region have access to improved sanitation facilities, 51.9% still rely on shared or unimproved sanitation options.

Cholera Outbreak Underscores Need for Improved Sanitation

Mr. Awity highlighted the ongoing cholera outbreaks in the Greater Accra, Central, and Western Regions, which have resulted in 16 deaths and over 150 infections.

He described this as a sobering reminder of the consequences of inadequate sanitation.

“This outbreak is a wake-up call to prioritize the provision of safe and clean toilets for all,” he stated.

“A toilet is more than a physical structure; it symbolizes dignity, equality, and human rights. It is a place where individuals find peace, relief, and security.”

Progress and Challenges in Reducing Open Defecation

Despite the challenges, Mr. Awity commended the Volta Region for significant progress in reducing open defecation, as noted in reports from the GSS and World Bank.

However, he urged residents and stakeholders to double their efforts in achieving universal access to sanitation, a key target of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6b.

“As we observe World Toilet Day, let us renew our commitment to creating a world where every individual has access to safe, clean, and private toilets. This is not just a moral obligation but an economic and social necessity,” Mr. Awity said.

Call to Action

Madam Stella Kumedzro, the Regional Environmental Health Officer, led a call to action, urging participants to prioritize sanitation and hygiene in their daily lives. She encouraged individuals to:

• Share commitments to sanitation with family and friends.
• Volunteer to help build and maintain toilets in their communities.
• Advocate for inclusive and accessible toilet facilities.

She also called on the Government of Ghana to provide resources for Environmental Health and Sanitation Units through Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs). Additionally, she emphasized the need for schools and institutions to have clean, resilient toilets to promote peace and stability.

Role of NGOs and Development Partners

Madam Kumedzro appealed to non-governmental organizations and development partners to continue supporting communities in maintaining clean and aesthetic environments.

The event concluded with a pledge from all present to champion toilet equality and work towards a future where everyone in the Volta Region has access to safe and dignified sanitation facilities.

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According to the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) in 2022, 52 per cent of Ghanaians practised OD, a situation the GHS said was worrying.

Mr Yussif Abubakari of the Nutrition Unit, Wa Municipal Health Directorate, said this in a presentation during a Regional Inter-agency Coordinating Committee on Sanitation (RICCS) meeting in Wa.

He said Water, Sanitation  and Hygiene (WASH) played a major role in improving nutrition outcomes saying, “You can have good food to eat, but when there is an infection the nutrients cannot be absorbed properly.”

Data from the Environmental Health and Sanitation Department (EHSD) indicates 815 out of 1,167 communities in the region had attained Open Defecation Free (ODF) status with 13 ODF communities recorded in 2022 while no community had attained ODF status in the region in the first half of 2023.

“When there is open defecation a lot of it goes into the streams where people fetch water from, and you can get infections through that and when there are infections the absorption of nutrients within the human system is affected.

Once your system cannot absorb all the nutrients directly from the food, it means that the body will not get the required quantity of nutrients to function as required,” Mr Abubakari explained.

He indicated that children suffered the brunt of OD because they needed more nutrients to grow and once their system could not absorb it from the food due to infection resulting from OD, that would create a nutritional gap leading to under nutrition conditions such as stunting and wasting among children.

Other causes of malnutrition he mentioned were poor exclusive breastfeeding, late initiation of breastfeeding and high food insecurity, among others.

Mr Dennis Menance Bayuo, the Upper West Regional Focal Person on WASH, observed that it was imperative for concerted efforts between stakeholders to address environmental issues to improve the health and well-being of the people in the region.

He emphasised the need for increased and well-coordinated interventions between the stakeholders to improve the sanitation situation at the community level including access to toilet facilities.

Mr Issahaque Serikpera Naa, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Yison Tech Hub, said the Hub was working in the Nandom and Lambussie Districts in partnership with the Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) to improve access to clean sanitation services in 20 communities.

The Global Communities, Vibrant Village Foundation, SNV and the Centre for Advancing Rural Opportunities (CARO)-Ghana among others also presented their interventions towards improving access to WASH in the region.

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According to GSS, these households still practise open defecation.

GSS stated that “the 1.5 million figure represents 17.7% of the household population with the prevalence of open defecation in rural areas (31.3%) being more than three times higher than that of urban areas (8.9%).”

This information is contained in GSS’s 2021 Population and Housing Census General Report on Water and Sanitation.

“Point of defecation for households without access to a toilet facility is predominantly bush/open field/gutter (1,380,720 households) followed by beach/water bodies (61,401 households),” GSS added.

The Service made this revelation as the world commemorates World Toilet Day on November 19^th, 2022.

It added that with the figure recorded this year, there has been a reduction as compared to previous years.

“The percentage of households without access to toilet facilities was 19.3% in 2010 and 20.2% in 2000 indicating a reduction of 2.5 percentage points in the prevalence of open defecation over the 21-year period.”

However, the regions with the highest proportion of households without access to toilet facilities are; the Upper East – 80.0% and North East -79.7% regions, adding that eight in every 10 households practise open defecation.

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The GSS noted that there are six regions where more than 100,000 households are practising open defecation: Northern (242,034), Upper East (180,797), Ashanti (111,306), Greater Accra (105,717), Volta (102,997) and Bono East (102,442).

A twelve-seater toilet facility that was under construction since the year, 2000 for traders has been abandoned as traders were forced to use the riverside as an alternative to ease themselves.

In view of this, Narayana Support System has constructed and handed over a twelve-seater toilet facility to the community as part of measures to put an end to the menace.

Speaking to Adom News, the Executive Director of Narayana Support System, Narayana Osei-Nayarko disclosed that the initiative was to assist the government to fight against open defecation in the country.

Mr Osei-Nayarko bemoaned the unhygienic practices of the people at the river which serves the community and the country at large with good fish.

He also urged the community members to adopt a good maintenance culture and take proper care of the facility to serve its purpose.

The Chief of Kabiti, Nana Alphaa Okonteh II, on behalf of the community thanked the Narayaba Support System for their aid to curb their immediate concern.

According to him, the new toilet facility will help curb the sanitation situation and unhygienic practices along the river bodies.

Meanwhile, the Assembly member for the area Raphael Hevi, and some traders also expressed their gratitude after the inauguration of the facility.

The Obuasi municipal chief executive, Elijah Adansi-Bonah is worried the action of the people is not helping in fighting the sanitation problem.
 
About 14,000 people in the Obuasi municipality are caught engaging in open defecation.

In commemoration of world toilet day, the municipality organized a durbar to create awareness and also to address the sanitation crisis in the Obuasi municipality.

 
Speaking at the event, Mr. Adansi-Bonah expressed optimism the Obuasi area will be free from Open defecation.

‘’We decided to come to the central market, interact with our people, educate them so that those who do not have toilet in their houses will do it. We have begun construction of a concrete drain and people have started easing themselves in the drain and that is very bad so we are going to set up a task force to monitor those areas’’.

We are working together with the environmental health office unit so that those who will be caught will be punished to serve as a deterrent to others’’.

‘’For those who do not have toilet in their houses, we are going to sit together with engineers to create toilet space within their houses and with this I know Obuasi will be free from open defecation in some few years to come’’. He said.
 
The theme for this year’s celebration is ‘’stop open defecation, own a household latrine now, let’s play our part in this covid-19 era’’.
 
The municipal environmental officer, Mrs. Moro Fuseina, said the percentage of people owning a latrine in the municipality will increase next year.

“A compound house with 10 rooms should have more than one toilet. From January, anyone who defies the law will be sent to court.

If we live to see next year, I can assure you that the number of people who do not have household toilet will decrease. I will send at least over 3,000 people to court because they don’t have toilet in their houses next year”. She emphasized.

So far, about 25 people who do not have toilets in their houses have been dragged to court.

Mr Kotei was found attending to nature’s call in a gutter by the Korle-Gonno /Chorkor road in the sunny hours of 10am today, March 3, 2020.

Defending himself, the fisherman explained though there was a toilet facility in his community, he decided on the gutter because he was miles away from home.

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The Environmental Health Team, which caught him defying sanitation rules, asked him to immediately choose between Court Action and cleaning the entire section of the drain.

Analysing the task, Mr Kotei chose the latter and is expected to clean the Mamprobi drain for a whole week after which he will weed the environment.

The discovery was made as part of Joy News’ Clean Ghana Campaign which was extended to some parts of Mamprobi for sanitation inspection.

Lukeman’s arrest follows a visit to the seashore by the Joy Clean Ghana Campaign team to inspect how public toilets and fish mongers dotted along the beach were disposing off waste.

One of the officials of AMA, who accompanied the team, revealed the Ministry for Inner City and Zongo Development had commissioned 150 toilet facilities in communities along the shore for free public usage.

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“They have all these facilities yet they are still practicing open defecation. Imagine this guy when we were coming, he did not even feel shy; he was still sitting there doing his own thing so we will arrest him right away,” she expressed her fury.

She further ordered the Sanitation Taskforce to arrest and process him for court on charges of being caught in the act of violating environmental rules.

When questioned by authorities on his decision to flout sanitation laws, Lukeman said the urge to attend nature’s call led him to the act.

A tour of the school by Adom News revealed that they are left with no other option due to the lack of toilet facilities in the school.

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According to reports, the school with a total population of 90 students, five teachers and four mentees have no toilets facilities, forcing them to attend to nature’s call in the bush.

Hweehwee RC JHS headmaster, Ebenezer Odame, indicated that the situation is affecting teaching and learning in the school.

He explained that the school children are sometimes chased by snakes and other reptiles hence the urgent need for toilet facility in the school.

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Mr Odame said another key challenge which is currently having repercussions on the academic work of the school has to do with lack of furniture.

He said the school got burnt a few years back and after the renovation work by the Kwahu East District Assembly, inadequate furniture has become a major problem for both teachers and students in the school.

The Hweehwee headmaster added that, sometimes teachers have to queue for the only borrowed table and chair before they can mark class exercise and home work for students.

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Mr Odame, therefore, appealed to the assembly to come to their aid.

Meanwhile, some teachers who spoke to Adom News expressed worry about the situation.

According to them, the lack of furniture, for instance, makes it difficult for students to concentrate when class in section.

The teachers pleaded on philanthropists for support.

In line with that, a total of 5,000 toilet facilities are to be built with a World Bank facility under the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources community toilet programme.

“We are determined to fulfill the one toilet one household commitment that we gave,” the president told the chiefs and people of the Northern Region where he is on a three-day tour.

“Very soon by the grace of the Almighty and our hard work open defecation in Ghana is going to be a thing of the past,” the president assured.

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The 2016 campaign was pregnant with clear, unambiguous promises by the NPP to provide dams, factories towards the development of the country.

In its manifesto, the NPP promised a one village one dam in the three northern regions, one district, one factory across the country, one constituency, one million dollars for development projects across the country.

There was also the one house, one toilet facility across the country, a promise which the president said has begun earnestly in addition to the others.

“New boreholes are going to be drilled to add more water. As the minister said all the pipelines are going to be replaced so that we can bring water to all household. With the beginning of the work, in September Mamprugu will get to improve its water system,” the president said.

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While commending the president for the good works his government has begun, the chief of Mamprugu expressed worry over the increasing power fluctuation in the region.

Naa Mahami Abdulai Shiriga said the erratic power supply is having a deleterious effect on development in the region.

He called on the government to support the northern electricity distribution company with funds to ensure they improve power supply.

The chief also appealed to the president to help resource the NHIS to be able to provide affordable healthcare to the communities.

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On the poor infrastructure in the region, the chief, Naa Shiriga also appealed to the president to improve infrastructure in schools in the area.

He also drew the attention of the president to the Yagba road which has stalled and praised the president for his several pro-poor policies.

The Research Officer at the Center for Democratic Governance (CDD) Ghana, Mohammed Awal, who revealed this, added that all the communities in the region scored zero in the assessment of household access to toilet facilities.

Awal blamed the non-existence of an ODF community to poor urban planning.

“We have not done proper urbanisation in Ghana and, therefore, still have urban slums. In every plush area that you find in Accra, there is a squatter settlement and that is the problem we are facing.

“We need to be careful about how we plan our urban cities and how we deal with our squatter settlers because there is the need to provide them with access to basic services,” he stressed.

According to him, 51 percent of Ghana’s population is urbanised and district assemblies in these areas should be well resourced to be able to plan well in providing basic infrastructure services for citizens who have come to settle in the urban areas.

He announced that the findings of the DLT will be forwarded to government to enable it to do better targeting as in terms regions to be prioritised.

Some indicators with which the districts are measured include BECE pass rate, rural water coverage, and community open defecation certification.

It also measures the MMDAs on skilled delivery services in the health sector, police to population coverage and FOAT performance.

The objective of the DLT is to increase social accountability in Ghana so as to lead to improved development for the country’s population.

It does this by opening up space for dialogue between the state and the population through the provision of tracking of essential information on well being of residents at the district level.

La Nkwantanang-Madina Municipal, Tema Metropolitan, and Awutu Senya East Municipal topped the 2016 League Table, while North Tongu, Ekumfi, and East Gonja Districts came last.

source: finder