The Upper East Region’s quest to achieve Open Defecation Free (ODF) by 2019 must be supported holistically by all stakeholders as the latest Health Demographic Report indicates the region is still leading in open defecation in the country with 74.7%. This means, at least, eight out of ten people in the region practice open defecation.
Though all the Municipal and District Chief Executives in the region have pledged to lead and support the crusade for the region to be declared ODF by 2019, the District Chief Executive of Bongo, Peter Ayinbisa, has gone the extra mile by setting up a reward scheme to reward the first electoral area in the district, to achieve ODF with a project of the people’s choice.
The DCE disclosed this in an interview with TopNews Ghana on the sidelines of the 2017 Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) annual review and launch of 2017 ODF league table currently underway in Bolgatanga.
According to him, the move is aimed at encouraging the various actors including assembly members in the district to be able to achieve the target. “So those of us in the Bongo District are putting a reward scheme in place. The reward scheme is for every electoral area; I am challenging every assembly member to begin now to trigger your community, and not only triggering, but triggering and working towards and making the entire electoral area ODF. And if that is done, I am going to reward that electoral area with a project, a project of their choice.”
He further explained that such a project may be a Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound, a school building or a Kumasi Ventilated Improved Pit (KVIP).
Mr. Ayinbisa said the decision to set up the reward scheme became necessary because since he assumed office in 2017, he has been impressing on residents and local authorities to ensure they work towards stopping ODF but very little has changed. He therefore believes the setting up of the scheme will ignite some zeal in the people to work towards dealing with the menace.
The DCE also said: “We need to motivate the people, we need to encourage them, and we need to let them know there are reward systems and that if you are able to do that, you will be getting some support.”
Mr. Ayinbisa who was until his appointment, the assembly member for the Sanabisi Electoral Area in the Bongo District said he is also among the competitors and will ensure he triggers his own electoral area to achieve ODF so as to benefit from a project. He also said enough financial allocation will be made available towards the reward scheme.
Source:TopNewsGhana.com
