Country Representative of the Catholic Relief Services (CRS), an international NGO, Daniel Mumuni, has called on members of the public to consider the acquisition of household toilets as investments into the future rather than focus on immediate strain this may have on their incomes.
He said “people complain of the cost involved in acquiring household toilet facilities instead of considering it as an investment for their health benefits and that of their children” and advised them not to be concerned about the cost and consider the benefits.
Mr Mumuni made the call at a sanitation bazaar, organized by CRS under its flagship Urban Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project at Gumani, a suburb of Tamale.
Various household toilet types were displayed by sanitation entrepreneurs at subsidized prices to enable households to acquire them to end open defecation in the area.
In line with the project objectives, CRS has supported the rehabilitation of seven public toilets in the Tamale Metropolis and Sagnarigu Municipality and also assisted in managing solid waste at these facilities.
Mr Mumuni stated that open defecation and poor faecal sludge management were major sanitation challenges in the 21st century for urban communities, which must be addressed to ensure their well-being.
He, therefore, encouraged members of the public to consider the acquisition of household toilet facilities as an investment, which would improve their sanitation and hygiene and eliminate most health hazards.
The MCE for Sagnarigu, Mrs Mariam Iddrisu, emphasized the importance of owning private household toilets and encouraged residents of Gumani to take advantage and to obtain improved household toilets.
