The demolition of Aboabo Kesse’s only public toilet has left residents in a sanitation nightmare, with some now turning to bushes and plastic bags to answer nature’s call.
The facility was pulled down by the district authorities after becoming full, overflowing and emitting foul odour that residents say had turned the area into a serious health hazard.
But months after its demolition, residents say they are still waiting for a replacement.
With no public toilet available in the community, some residents have resorted to open defecation, while others travel to neighbouring communities or pay to use toilet facilities elsewhere.
For residents, what was supposed to be a solution to a sanitation problem has created another crisis.
Gabriel Kuffour, a resident, says people are now forced to use black polythene bags and bushes because they have nowhere else to go.
“The old toilet was in a bad state, so we understood why it had to be demolished. But there should have been a replacement before it was pulled down,” he said.
Another resident, Brother Bosiga, says the situation is particularly difficult for people who need to use the toilet at odd hours.
He is appealing to the government and the District Chief Executive to intervene.
Maame Atta says residents were given assurances that a new facility would be provided after the old structure was demolished. But with the promised replacement yet to materialise, she says open defecation has become increasingly common, with some residents falling ill.
“The situation is even more difficult at night, when we have limited options. Some, resort to using plastic bags and dumping them in bushes or nearby waste areas.”
For the residents, this is a matter of health, dignity and basic human needs.
Health experts have repeatedly warned that open defecation can contaminate water and the environment and increase the risk of diseases such as cholera and typhoid, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall.
Residents are therefore appealing to the District Assembly to urgently construct a modern public toilet for the community.
The Atwima Kwanwoma District Assembly, however, says plans are underway to construct a modern toilet facility for the community, but has yet to indicate when work will begin.
Until that happens, Aboabo Kesse residents fear the sanitation crisis will only worsen.
For them, demolishing an unsafe toilet may have solved one problem but leaving the community without a replacement has created another.
By Stacy Ayambila
