Bongo: Traders alarmed at lack of sanitary facilities

Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover A section of traders at the Bongo Market in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region are alarmed at the lack of toilet facility at the market. They fear the situation if not checked could result in an epidemic outbreak traders and other users resort to open defecation. The concerns were raised by the women at a durbar to mark this year's International Women's Day celebration at Bongo on the localized theme, "Keep your promises on sanitation and water". It was organized by Water Aid, an NGO and in collaboration with the office of the Paramount Queen Mother of the Bongo Traditional Area. The traders said the lack of toilet facility in the market, which is common meeting place in the town is part of a growing waste problem facing the district with the others being inadequate supply of portable water and indiscriminate littering with plastic materials. They therefore appealed to the Bongo District Assembly to step up its efforts and provide the market with a decent sanitary facility to avert any outbreaks. The Queen Mother of Bongo, Pog-Naba Abeliwine Nge underscored the importance of a clean environment and more importantly access to clean portable water to the daily life of people especially women and appeal to government to ensure the extend the supply of portable water from the Vea dam which presently serves the Bolgatanga municipality to the people of Bongo Dr. Afia S. Zakiya, Country Representative for WaterAid, said any woman, any child and any household without access to water is experiencing a form of violence and therefore called on government to meet its financial commitments on sanitation and end sanitation and water poverty, and its daily toll on human life, health and livelihoods. She also stressed the need for traditional rulers to champion the need for a cleaner environment. She said in countries like Rwanda, the use of plastic bags had been banned because of the menace they cause to the environment and said it should be possible for a similar action to be taken in Ghana in view of the indiscriminate littering and the havoc plastic materials to the environment. She said WaterAid which has been working in Ghana for the past 27 years and will continue to work with communities to help with the provision of clean safe water, sanitation and hygiene services. The Bongo District Planning Officer, Mr Adigun Akanpatulsi said the assembly will continue to advance the cause of water, sanitation and hygiene initiatives in the district. -END- Writer's email: benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh