Rita (not her real name) had always dreamed of a stable life free from the basic struggles of food, shelter, and hygiene. But life had other plans. An emergency transfer to Bolgatanga, the regional capital of Ghana’s Upper East Region, upended her expectations.
Within a week, she scrambled to find accommodation in Bukere, a densely populated neighborhood in Bolgatanga. With the help of an agent, Rita secured a single room in a well-furnished compound house with a gated entrance. However, the outward appeal masked a shocking reality: none of the eight rooms in the house had a toilet.
Rita’s dismay quickly turned into despair. “I never imagined that in the 21st century, landlords could build houses without toilets. Here I am, rushing to defecate in nearby corners at 4 a.m., just like my co-tenants,” she recounted.
“If I wake up late, my only option is to use the office toilet, which is equally embarrassing.” Her frustration deepened when the agent who found her the room dismissed her concerns, stating, “This is normal in Bukere.” Fearing retribution from her landlord, Rita hesitates to raise further complaints.
Bukere: A Microcosm of Sanitation Neglect
With a population exceeding 10,000, Bukere is considered the heart of Bolgatanga. Despite its dense population, it lacks basic sanitation infrastructure. The only public toilet, built in the 1990s, is dilapidated, with cracked walls and a leaking roof.
For residents like Gloria (not her real name), the facility’s poor condition has forced them to resort to open defecation. “The smell when it rains is unbearable,” Gloria lamented. “Cholera and other illnesses are common here, but what choice do we have?”
Landlords’ Dilemma: Profit Over Sanitation
Landlords in Bukere and other parts of Bolgatanga face a tough choice: prioritize tenants’ health or their financial survival. John (not his real name), a landlord with two houses in Bukere, admitted that none of his properties has a toilet. “If I convert two rooms into latrines, I’ll lose income. The rent from these houses feeds my family,” he explained.
Ayine (not his real name), another landlord, echoed similar sentiments. “At my age, this rent is my only source of income. Converting rooms into toilets would leave me with nothing to support my family.” Both landlords believe the government should step in to address the issue by building modern toilet facilities.
A Wider Crisis in Bolgatanga
The sanitation crisis extends beyond Bukere. In areas like Bolgatanga-Soe, Dapotindongo, and Tanzui, homes without toilets are the norm, forcing residents to practice open defecation.
Samuel, a landlord in Bolga-Soe, admitted his tenants frequently complain. “I’m working on converting one room into a toilet. Open defecation is bad and causes illness,” he said. Despite these individual efforts, the scale of the problem demands systemic intervention.
Michael Apoya-Tanga, Assembly Member for Bukere, acknowledged the severity of the issue. “Bukere, with over 10,000 people, has no functional toilet. Even the Bukere Primary School’s toilet is choked and abandoned,” he said.
A National and Global Concern
Open defecation remains a global issue, with 1.8 billion people lacking access to basic sanitation, according to UN Secretary-General António Guterres. In Ghana, only 25% of the population has access to basic sanitation.
In 2018, the Ministry of Sanitation partnered with Ghana First Company Limited to construct 20,000 modern automated toilet facilities nationwide at a cost of $300 million. That year, the company awarded contracts for the first batch of 2,000 facilities, intended to be completed within three months. While Bolgatanga saw the initiation of 10 such projects, all were abandoned after the 2020 elections, leaving residents in a worse state.
A review of the 2019-2022 Composite Budget for the Bolgatanga Municipality reveals the dire state of sanitation infrastructure. With a population of 143,006, the municipality has only 25 septic tanks, one VIP latrine, and seven KVIPs. This severe shortfall underscores the urgent need for expanded and reliable sanitation infrastructure to address the growing population’s needs.
Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) Rex Asanga expressed concerns about the abandoned projects and their impact on the municipality. He noted that the Assembly has made significant efforts to curb open defecation, including constructing new toilet facilities at key locations.
However, he admitted that the abandoned Ghana First projects represent a missed opportunity. “I have made numerous attempts to contact Ghana First Company Limited regarding the progress of these toilet facilities, but unfortunately, all efforts have been unsuccessful,” the MCE revealed.
He emphasized that completing these facilities would have been transformative, especially for residents whose old toilet structures were demolished to make way for the project.
Local and NGO Efforts
Efforts to combat open defecation in the Upper East Region have been slow. Bolgatanga Municipal Environmental Health Officer, Mr. Evans Bornaa, described open defecation as a “serious issue.” He expressed embarrassment over the municipality’s poor performance in sanitation rankings and highlighted the health risks associated with the practice.
WaterAid Ghana, a key NGO in the region, is tackling these challenges head-on. The organization’s WASH Health Program Manager, Gilbert Asante, highlighted the root causes: lack of resources, traditional beliefs, and insufficient government support.
“We collaborate with local authorities, traditional leaders, and communities to advocate for improved sanitation practices and sustainable change,” he explained.
The Way Forward
The sanitation crisis in Bolgatanga demands urgent attention. While landlords face economic constraints, the government must prioritize sanitation infrastructure. The abandoned Ghana First projects need revival, and public education campaigns must address behavioral factors perpetuating open defecation.
For residents like Rita, basic human rights remain elusive. “I struggle to feed myself and now must struggle to dispose of what I’ve eaten,” she said. Her story underscores the broader challenge of ensuring dignity, health, and safety for all amid persistent neglect.
Source: A1RadioOnline.Com | 101.1MHz | Moses Apiah | Bolgatanga
