Residents of Aboabo Kesse in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti Region have been forced to resort to open defecation following the demolition of the community’s only public toilet facility.
The toilet was demolished by the district authorities after it became full, began overflowing and produced a foul smell that residents said had created a serious sanitation and health concern.
However, months after the facility was pulled down, residents say no replacement has been provided, leaving many with limited options whenever they need to use the toilet.
Some residents now defecate in bushes or use black polythene bags, while others are forced to travel to neighbouring communities or pay to access toilet facilities elsewhere.
Residents say the situation has turned what was intended to be a solution to an existing sanitation problem into a fresh crisis.
Gabriel Kuffour, a resident, said residents understood the decision to demolish the old facility because of its poor condition but expected a replacement to be provided.
“The old toilet was in a bad state, so we understood why it had to be demolished. But there should have been a replacement before it was pulled down,” he said.
Another resident, Brother Bosiga, said the lack of a public toilet was particularly challenging for people who need to use the facility during the night or at other odd hours.
He has therefore appealed to the government and the District Chief Executive to urgently intervene and address the situation.
Maame Atta also said residents were assured that a new toilet facility would be constructed after the old one was demolished.
However, with the promised facility yet to be provided, she said open defecation had become increasingly common in the community, with some residents reportedly falling sick.
“The situation is even more difficult at night, when we have limited options. Some resort to using plastic bags and dumping them in bushes or nearby waste areas,” she said.
The residents say the situation goes beyond inconvenience, describing it as a matter of public health, dignity and access to basic sanitation.
Health experts have consistently warned that open defecation can pollute the environment and contaminate water sources, increasing the risk of diseases including cholera and typhoid, especially during periods of heavy rainfall.
Residents are consequently calling on the Atwima Kwanwoma District Assembly to prioritise the construction of a modern public toilet facility to address the sanitation challenge.
The Atwima Kwanwoma District Assembly, for its part, says arrangements are being made to construct a modern toilet facility for the community.
The Assembly, however, has not disclosed when construction is expected to begin.
Until a replacement is provided, residents fear the sanitation situation in Aboabo Kesse could deteriorate further.
For the community, the demolition of an unsafe toilet may have addressed one sanitation problem, but the failure to immediately replace it has created another.
By: Prince Martey-Sogar