AMA shuts down public toilet for illegally channeling waste into drains

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has disconnected illegal sewer lines and shut down a public toilet located on Graphic Road for channeling human waste directly into the drains.

The facility was closed on Wednesday during the Homowo clean-up exercise organized under the auspices of the Ga Traditional Council (GTC) and in collaboration with the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (GARCC), the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development, the Ministry of Interior, local government authorities, and Zoomlion Ghana Limited to improve sanitation in the city of Accra.

The Director of Waste Management of the AMA, Ing. Solomon Noi, highlighted the severe risks posed by such unsanitary practices, stating that the pipe could block the entire drain, potentially causing flooding during rainfall.

He expressed dissatisfaction with how the sewage had been irresponsibly managed by the public toilet operators and urged that proper measures be taken to mitigate health risks.

“The sewer line was laid right inside the drain, prompting me to trace its source. We discovered that it led to a public bathroom, with another toilet behind it. The sewage from both facilities was being emptied directly into the drain,” he said.

“This poses multiple risks: first, the large pipe can block the entire drain, causing flooding during rains. Second, the sewage should be directed to a septic tank to be properly emptied, but instead, it is being irresponsibly discharged, endangering public health,” he noted.

According to him, officials from the public health directorate of the AMA have been contacted to issue immediate summons for the perpetrators of the malpractice to appear before the sanitation court and face the full rigours of the law.

He said the sewer line will be cut by the Assembly and used as evidence in court, urging residents to desist from activities that compromise public health and overall well-being.

He mentioned that the government was spending significant amounts of money to treat upper respiratory tract infections while some residents continued to profit at the expense of public health. He called for an end to such unhealthy practices to avoid further health risks posed by unkempt environments.