Increasing Access To Hygienic Toilets At Schools Through Sanitation Challenge For Ghana – The Case OF KMA

The Sanitation Challenge for Ghana (SC4Gh) , jointly Organised by the Ministry Of Sanitation and Water Resources, DFID, IRC – Ghana, Maple Consult and Ideas To Impact, was a prize inducement initiative to stimulate competition among Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and to encourage inclusive partnership for the design and Implementation of sustainable liquid wast management strategies. It was geared towards bringing transformational change to city – wide Sanitation service delivery.

The programme was launched in October 2015 and ended in July,2019 with One District Assembly (DA) and One Metropolitan/ Municipal Assembly (MMA) emerging as the ultimate winners. The ultimate winner among the MMDs was awarded UK£ 400,000.00 while UK£ 285,000.00 was awarded to the emerging winner among the District Assemblies (DAs).

The Sanitation Challenge for Ghana (SC4Gh) started with 139 MMDAs, Which was downsized to 17 best MMDAs. On 24th July, 2020 at Marriott Hotel, Airport City – Accra, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly was adjusted the district with the best liquid wast management strategy in Ghana and was awarded a prize fund of UK£ 400,000.00

With this financial support from the Sanitation Challenge for Ghana (SC4Gh), the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly has implemented a number of projects and programmes to improve liquid were management in the metropolis.

Significant among the project executed by Assembly with funding from the SC4GH is the construction of 4No. 10 – Seated gender sensitive, disability friendly institutional water closet toilets with mechanised borehole and overhead tankfl for four (4) schools namely :

*Amankwatia, Anyaano, Bantema state Boys and St. Cyprians M/A Cluster of schools.

Accompanying these facilities to be Handed Over to the four (4) schools are :

* 65 Set of Veronica Buckets, Stands and Hand Washing Basins.

* 10 Copies of Schools Toilet Operations and Maintenance Manuals.

* 32 Packs (6 pieces per pack) of Tissue Towels.

* 8 Set of Mop Equipment (Mop buckets, mop brushes, plungers)

* 8 Boxes of Carbolic Soaps.

* 4 Gallons of Hand Sanitizers

* 4 Gallons of Detergents.

With these Intervention, the Assembly has made it possible for 2,534 pupils and teaching staffs in these 4 schools to have access to Hygienic and dignified  toilets facilities. These are going to minimize the spread of communicable diseases like diarrhoea and cholera.

Addressing The Press By KMA Boss – Hon Osei Asiebey  Antwi.

To ensure efficient operations and Maintenance of the facilities, the Assembly has formed an eight (8) members Toilets Management Committee Comprised;

• Head Mistress/Head Master ……. Chairman
• Girls Prefects …….. Member
• PTA Chairman …….. Member
• Assembly Member ….. Member
• SHED Coordinator …….. Member
• Sub Metro Administrator ……… Member
• Sub Metro Environmental Health Officer ……. Member
• Works Engineer ……. Member

These representatives are to meet every month to Conduct inspection of the school toilet and assist with it’s operations and Maintenance.

Kumasi Major also added that, the  Assembly has also procured 15 motor bikes for distribution to 5 sub Metro Environmental Health and Sanitation Units to facilitate their transportation to the communities to assist household without toilet to have one.

Moreover, the Assembly has further applied part of this fund to improve the liquid wast stabilisation pond at Oti landfill site through desilting of ponds and storm drains, construction of concrete platform and headworks for district discharge, installation of coupling hoses and gravelling of haul area of the site.

On Enforce Bye – Law

According to the KMA Boss Hon Osei Asiebey – Antwi Said, with the support from these funding the Assembly intend compiling a household toilet registry, creating more awareness on household toilets types and the process of acquiring them, creating two (2) Sanitation Courts to enforce bye -laws on household toilets and Environment hygiene and improving the satellite treatment ponds at Asafo for effective treatment of liquid wast.

Source: Thepressradio.com/Ghana/ Adwenepahene Kofi Mensah