The Coordinating Director of the La Dade-Kotopon Municipal Assembly (LaDMA), Daniel Nkrumah, has cautioned residents of La against open defecation, particularly along the La beach area, stating that those caught will face legal action.
‘’No one would be spared, if you are caught defecating openly along the La Beach or any place within the municipality’’ Mr Nkrumah cautioned.
Speaking at the inauguration of a new Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facility at Kowe-Jorna in the Abafum-Abese Electoral Area on Thursday, Mr Nkrumah revealed that a dedicated sanitation task force would soon be formed to monitor and patrol the beach and other areas.
According to him, the task force would operate both day and night, and anyone caught engaging in open defecation would be prosecuted at the La Sanitation Court.
The WASH facility, he said, comprises of a 32-seater water closet toilet, 20 bathrooms fitted with showers, two storage rooms, a gatehouse and a borehole.
The Director further elaborated that the project was made possible through a public-private partnership (PPP), between the assembly and Aging Developers Company Limited.
He urged the community to serve as ambassadors by encouraging others to use the facility responsibly rather than going to the seaside.
“I urged you all to comply with the directives by ensuring that everyone utilises this facility responsibly other than going to defecating at the seaside” Mr Nkrumah stated.
The Director stressed that maintenance was the key factor for a longevity of the facility and pleaded with the community to ensure nothing get destroyed or broken at the place.
He reiterates the commitment of the assembly to replicate such projects at all the communities in the municipality.
In a message delivered on her behalf, the Member of Parliament for La Dade-Kotopon Constituency, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, stated that the project would help to improve sanitation and promote good health in the municipality.
The MP, who is also the Deputy Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, asked the operators of the facility to the ensure that the place was maintain regularly to curtail unforeseen health issues.
The La Shiketele (Kingmaker), Nii Adjei Koofeh IV, expressed the Councils appreciation to the assembly for the provision of the facility and pleaded with the community to make good use of it.
“No one has any excuse to defecate at the seaside again because the assembly has provided us with this modern WASH facility in the community, please use it responsibly for the sake of our health and wellbeing,” Nii Koofeh IV advised.
Nii Koofeh IV also entreated each user to make sure the place is safe and neat after they use it to enable the next user to use it without challenges.
BY VICTOR A. BUXTON
