Ghana is performing abysmally and is one of the poorest in the world when it comes to open defecation according to the chairman of non-governmental Organisations in water and sanitation, Yaw Atta Arhin.
He said the 2018 multiple indicator cluster survey revealed that only 21 percent of Ghanaians have access to toilet facilities. The 2021 population and housing census also revealed that 17.7 percent of Ghanaians defecate outside. The joint monitoring platform pegged the percentage at 21 percent.
“We have performed abysmally. I mean one of the poorest in the world and for me is not a good narrative for a country like Ghana. So for basic sanitation services you’re talking about 21 percent of Ghanaians having access to toilet facilities and that is the multiple indicator survey 2018. You come to the population and housing census and we have 25.3 percent only of Ghanaians having access to toilet facilities and then you come to the joint monitoring platform and it is 21percent. For me these are very low. You come to open defecation and it is terrible. The population and housing census 2021 says our open defecation rate is 17.7 percent.”
Yaw Atta Arhin who is also the WASH Technical Coordinator, World Vision Ghana speaking on A1 Radio observed that the figures are worrying for a country like Ghana adding that World Vision Ghana is supporting all efforts to ensure that open defecation is stopped.
“We are concerned because our vision for every child is life in its fullness as World Vision Ghana and that’s why we’re supporting all efforts to ensure that we stopped open defecation.”
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Osuman Kaapore Tahiru|Ghana
