Traditional leaders should lead fight against open defecation through advocacy-chief of Maase

Traditional leaders should champion efforts to end open defecation by leading by example and advocating for better sanitation rather than being expected to finance public toilet facilities, the chief of Maase in the Dolimo Traditional Area in the Upper West Region has said.

Naa Dr Saaka Mwinimaana II told Info Radio that chiefs have an important responsibility in promoting healthy sanitation practices but lack the financial capacity to provide toilet facilities on a large scale.

"I think traditional leaders need to lead by example," he said.

"They should construct a place in their own compounds that allows their families not to defecate openly."

The chief said traditional rulers should also become advocates for improved sanitation, clean water and healthier communities while working closely with district assemblies and the central government.

"I see one of leadership, one of advocacy and one of partnership with the various levels of government to ensure that open defecation is addressed in an effective and prompt manner," he said.

Naa Dr Mwinimaana described open defecation as a serious public health concern that should be tackled urgently.

"This is a health hazard," he said, adding that basic hygiene requires human waste to be separated from where people live.

He said while many households may not be able to afford modern flush toilets, communities should at least have simple household latrines or outhouses. The chief argued that government institutions should play the leading role by investing in sanitation infrastructure and ensuring communities have access to safe water.

"The central government, the region and the districts ought to work together to ensure that provisions are made to allow communities and families to have decent places where they can defecate and have sufficient water that they can wash with," he said.

He said traditional leaders would be more effective if they received training from health authorities on sanitation advocacy and were supported to work with non-governmental organisations and development partners.

According to him, increasing population growth and environmental changes have made open defecation less sustainable than in previous decades.

Naa Dr Mwinimaana urged government agencies, health officials and development organisations to strengthen partnerships with traditional authorities to eliminate open defecation across rural communities. His comments align with the ongoing campaign of the Media Coalition Against Open Defecation (M-CODE), supported by World Vision Ghana, which is advocating for stronger accountability in sanitation under the theme, "Institutionalizing Sanitation Performance." 

The campaign promotes the message that "Sanitation is now a KPI. Performance must be measured," urging governments, institutions and communities to prioritise sanitation outcomes as a key measure of development.

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