The Janok Foundation, a Community Based Organisation at Sabon Zongo in Accra, has joined efforts geared at ensuring that every household get toilet facilities.

It is under the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area—Sanitation and Water Programme (GAMA--SWP).

The GAMA project being sponsored by the World Bank seeks a timely intervention to manage the potential risks of an outbreak of cholera and other diseases in Accra.

Madam Jane Amerley Oku, Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at a community forum in the area, said so far 70 landlords have registered with the NGO while 10 environmentally—friendly, and affordable toilets have been completed and 13 ongoing.

She outlined measures put in place by GAMA to tackle environmental challenges in communities and said landlords would pay 50 per cent of the cost of every toilet constructed to them while government takes the rest.

She gave the assurance that everything would be done to make sure that the Sabon Zongo population have access to toilet facilities to prevent an outbreak of diseases.

She noted that where people do not have adequate sanitation facilities, diseases spread fast, adding: '4000 children die annually from diarrhoea as a result of poor water and sanitation in Ghana.

'For women and girls who have no access to a toilet wait until dark to find a quiet place to defecate, increasing the risk of attacks or rape, hence the need to promote behavioural change and work with communities to ensure that they register so that human waste is safely managed, 'she said.

She said if the Zongo communities use safe toilets that are being promoted; the people's health, livelihoods and wellbeing will be improved.

Madam Oku called for a dedicated sustainable development goals on water and sanitation to end open defecation by 2030 and ensure safe toilets for all.

GNA