An abandoned five-year-old toilet projects are fueling open defecation at Fosukrom, a cocoa growing community in the Bia East District of the Western North. Residents said they were upset about the work on the construction of two toilet projects, a digester type, which began somewhere in 2019, but had stalled, and left in ruins under the mercy of the weather. During a visit to the farming community, the Ghana News Agency (GNA) noticed weeds had taken over the 12-units toilet project, a digester type, and left to deteriorate, though the works had reached roofing levels. Mr Abdul Karim Mohammed, the Assemblyman for Fosukrom Electoral Area, in an interview with the GNA, said the community had made persistent appeals to the District Assembly to complete the projects for use, but had not received any positive response. He regretted that many houses in the area lacked household toilets, and because of that some of the residents had no option than to defecate openly in the town. The unpleasant situation, he add ed, was worrying because it could serve as a public health threat as the rains set in. He appealed to NGOs, corporate bodies and philanthropist individuals and organisations to come to their aid and complete the projects for use to control open defecation, which was becoming disturbing in the town. Mr Mohammed explained the District Assembly started the construction of the projects, but work had since been abandoned due to limited funds, saying the projects ought to be completed because there were no public toilets in the area to cater for visitors and travellers. He said the town shared a boundary with the Ahafo Region and was well known for commercial cocoa and foodstuff production, which was making Fosukrom a business hub, where a lot of people visited during the market days. It is therefore imperative to complete the toilet projects for use and that would further enhance the Assembly's revenue mobilization drive in the area, Mr Mohammed stated. Other pressing challenges facing the community which req uired urgent attention, he added, were deplorable condition of school buildings and inadequate desks and learning and teaching materials in schools as well as bad roads in the area. Source: Ghana News Agency
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