THE PROVISION AND MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC TOILETS IN WA TOWNSHIP

Abstract

Public Toilets (PTs) are used all over the world by transient populations and are usually located in public places. However in Ghana most households also depend on PTs for defecation. Due to the pressure and lack of maintenance of these PTs, it has often resulted in most of them being dirty, smelly, unhygienic etc. This research assesses the provision and management of PTs in the Wa Township of the Upper West Region. All the 44 PTs in Wa Township were selected for the study. A hand-held GPS receiver was used to pick geographic coordinates of various PTs. The results revealed that majority (95.46%) of the PTs were located in the central business area and low-income residential areas, where there is high daily patronage. On average, 8,022 people use the PTs per day with 191 people per facility per day. Most (95.46%) of the PTs do not have adequate and regular cleaners, hand washing facilities and other essential disinfectants to clean them. Also the cesspit emptiers (3) were inadequate to serve all toilets in Wa Township. Some PTs attendants temporarily close down the facility when the septic tank is full until such a time that they are able to engage the services of a cesspit emptier to drain the faecal sludge. Others also hire labourers to use bucket to fetch the faecal sludge from the septic tanks and thrown just beside the facility. These challenges make it difficult for these PTs to be maintained. Finally, about 70% of the GOPTs were not well constructed, not well managed and poorly maintained. Despite these challenges, PTs if well managed can be clean, safe and appropriate. The study recommends that; Government Owned PTs should be privatised to ensure effective and efficient management. People caught disposing faecal sludge at unauthorised places should be punished to serve as a deterrent to others.