Danger still looms at Abeka Lapaz after demolition of public toilet

A month after the demolition of an illegal public toilet at Abotare Junction at Abeka Lapaz by a combined task force of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), the overflowing sewage and rubble remain uncleared, posing an environmental hazard to residents.

Residents have expressed concern about the offensive odour with the attendant health risk and, therefore, asked the relevant authorities, especially the AMA to act immediately by clearing the site to avert an environmental disaster.

The privately owned public toilet which was sited on the GWCL main pipeline that served the Accra West Region, including areas such as Abeka Lapaz, MacCarthy Hill, Weija, Kasoa, Sowutuom, Santa Maria and Kwashieman, was demolished on February 1, 2018.

This was after the Daily Graphic had, on January 29, 2018, reported that the toilet was causing apprehension among community members.

Danger

Although the toilet is no more in operation as a result of the demolition, the sewage tank, with its contents intact, still sits on the main pipeline.

Some residents who spoke to the Daily Graphic last Wednesday expressed fear of an environmental catastrophe should the sewage leak into the water supply.

Although they welcomed the demolition of the toilet, they called on the AMA to clear the remains because no one in the area was safe with the current situation.

GWCL position

When contacted, the GWCL Chief Engineer for the Accra West Region, Mr Peter De-veer, told the Daily Graphic that once the toilet was out of use, the sewage material would dry by itself.

“Once fresh material is not added, the sewage will dry by itself and become manure,” he stated.