More and more households in UW openly defecate despite the success of Nandom

General News of Monday, June 10, 2019

Source: ghananewsagency.org

2019-06-10

The Upper West Free Open Defecation (ODF) Openfence Ranking Table was launched in Wa. Nandom District has attained ODF status at the district level, but several hundred households still practice open defecation in the area.

The ODF scorecard was unveiled on the theme: "Reaching open defecation at the district level, leadership role of the MMDA".

Dr. Hafiz Bin-Salih, Upper West Regional Minister (UW), congratulated Nandom chiefs and residents and the Nandom District Assembly for obtaining ODF status. throughout the district.

Nandom has made the region proud of having achieved the remarkable success of being the first district of the country to obtain ODF status, which implies that all households in the district have their own toilets and that no one is doing his needs in the open air.

"I hope that the Nandom District Assembly will develop a sustainability plan to maintain this enviable success." And, let me add that achieving FDAL status at the district level is only a beginning, you have to work hard to maintain this status. "

Dr. Bin-Salih said this in a speech read on his behalf at the launch of the Upper West Regional ODF division's ranking chart.

The ODF scorecard ranks the 11 municipal and district bademblies based on their efforts to have their districts and municipalities ODF to foster health competition among MDAs.

According to statistics updated by the Regional Department of Environmental Health and Sanitation, it was reported that Nandom District was at the top of the ranking with 88 out of 88 communities, which confirmed the ODF status.

Mr. Theddeus Aasoglenang, Nandom District General Manager, said the success was achieved through strict enforcement of the regulations and the public's commitment to end open defecation. in the district.

Lawra District was second with 69 ODF communities representing 75% of the 94 communities, followed by Wa West with 156 FDH representing 72% of the total 227 communities.

In Daffiama / Bussie / Issa district, out of 105 communities, 75 communities were declared ODF, representing 69%, while in Nadowli-Kaleo district, 103 ODF communities out of 141 were clbadified.

In the Lambussie district, 37 communities had been declared ODF out of 58; 31 communities in western Sissala had also been confirmed ODF in 55 communities.

The municipality of Jirapa has moved from 10th place in the ranking of the second edition to 8th place with 37 communities confirmed ODF out of 116.

Of the 138 communities in Wa East district, 48 have been declared ODF, while in Sissala East district, 10 communities recognize the status of ODF out of 59.

The municipality of Wa, which held the last position, registered only five out of 86 ODF communities.

Wa's general manager, Alhaji Issahasku Tahiru Moomin, explained that Wa was the gateway through which many people came in and out, making defecation in the open a common practice.

He called on municipal environmental health officials to be more engaged in their work on fighting open defecation.

He also urged residents to change attitudes and adopt community-led Total Sanitation to help harmonize the work of Environmental Health Officers.