By: Daniel Yao Akpabli | ignewss – Dzodze LORMNAVA, Ghana
A Dutch philanthropist, Annemieke De Bruijckere, and her friends from the Netherlands have funded the construction of a 10-seater toilet facility for Lormnava, a community in the Ketu North Municipality of the Volta Region.
The facility, which cost GH¢123,540, is expected to improve access to safe sanitation, promote environmental cleanliness and help reduce the risk of sanitation-related diseases, including cholera, typhoid and diarrhoea infections.
The project was constructed by Koenam Enterprise and handed over to the community at a ceremony attended by traditional leaders, local representatives, health officials and the donors.
Speaking to the media after the handover, the project manager, Madam Justine Quist, a deputy director of nursing services (public health), said the facility will help address sanitation challenges by providing residents with a safe and hygienic place to attend to their sanitation needs.
She said the project would also offer women and children a more dignified and secure alternative in a community where access to adequate sanitation infrastructure had been a concern.
Madam Quist added that the facility shall protect the environment by reducing the risk of contamination of nearby water sources.
She urged community members and opinion leaders to take responsibility for maintaining the facility, stressing that proper use and regular maintenance would be essential to sustaining its benefits.
She said a strong maintenance culture could also help position the community to attract further development projects.
Madam Quist expressed appreciation to Very Rev. Fr. LT. Col. W.D.K. Sraha (RTD) and the Keta-Akatsi Diocese of the Catholic Church for their support towards the successful completion of the project, as well as other development initiatives within the municipality and beyond.
The Assembly Member for the area, Hon. Samuel Amable, also thanked the donors and partners for their contribution to the community’s development.
He noted that the toilet facility was not the first intervention by Annemieke De Bruijckere and her friends in the area.
According to him, the same group had supported the construction of a potable water project at Seklekope, a neighbouring community under his jurisdiction, a few months ago.
He said the successive interventions demonstrated the importance of partnerships between local communities and individuals committed to improving living conditions in underserved areas.
The Dufia of Dzodze Lormnava, Togbi Petti IV, who donated the land for the project, appealed to other philanthropists, government agencies and corporate organisations to emulate the donors’ example by supporting development initiatives in the community.
He said Lormnava continued to face several challenges, including inadequate road infrastructure, and called for further assistance to address the needs of residents.
Togbi Petti IV said he remained open to partnerships with individuals and organisations willing to support development efforts aimed at improving the lives of people in the community and beyond.
For Annemieke De Bruijckere, the handover ceremony was an opportunity to see firsthand how the project had been received by its intended beneficiaries.
She said she was happy to witness the joy expressed by community members and added that the atmosphere at the ceremony had reassured her that the support had gone towards a worthwhile cause.
The toilet facility is expected to improve sanitation access in Lormnava, with its long-term impact depending on responsible use, effective management and regular maintenance by the community.
Background
Lormnava is one of the several communities in the Ketu North Municipality of the Volta Region struggling for basic social amenities over the years.
The lack of proper toilet facilities in Lormnava, as one of many issues, has resulted in significant sanitation challenges for residents, exposing them to waterborne and infectious diseases, which lead to typhoid and dysentery.
Many community members resort to open defecation, which is unhygienic and exposes them to serious health risks.
The lack of adequate toilet facilities in Lormnava has created difficulties for residents, particularly women and girls, who may have to wait until nightfall to attend to their sanitation needs to avoid exposing themselves.
This situation, according to some community leaders, has led to the spread of waterborne diseases, affecting the well-being of children, the elderly and the entire population in one way or another.
However, hopes are high that, after the commissioning of this toilet facility, the health situation of residents in Lormnava will be much improved and also align with national and global efforts to promote hygiene, sanitation, public health and create a sustainable and long-term solution for the community.
SOURCE: www.ignewss.com