The Ga South Municipal Assembly (GSMA) would institute legal action against households which fail to convert their KVIPs into water closet toilet facilities within six months, Municipal Chief Executive, Jerry Akwei-Thompson says.

Mr. Akwei-Thomson revealed in an interview with Adomonline.com that this forms part of several measures being initiated by the Assembly to halt the spread of cholera in the municipality.

The Greater Accra region was at the center of a record cholera outbreak in the country which affected close to a 17,000 people and killed an estimated 150 victims.

This was largely blamed on the high levels of insanitary conditions in the country with bad toilet facilities being part of the causes, hence the call by the MCE for an improvement of toilet facilities in the municipality.

KVIPs replaced the old pan latrine system which was considered outmoded and inhuman, but the MCE is of the firm conviction that the reason for the introduction of KVIPs in Ghana is being abused by residents of the municipality.

“They are now being used by large families other than the small families which they were intended for…,” he opined.

What is worse, Mr. Akwei-Thompson continued, is the inability of users to keep the KVIPs clean to prevent bad odours in communities where they are being used.

Thus, the MCE continued that the time was right for households in his municipality to change over from the KVIP system and make use of water closets which he terms as more hygienic.

“This underscored the Assembly’s issuance of a six month ultimatum to the households within which they must demolish the KVIPs or face the rigours of the law.”

Mr. Akwei-Thompson continued that the decision when effectively implemented would help do away with the public toilet system which are major contributors to unhygienic conditions in the municipality.

As part of ensuring that the process is fully implemented to ensure better sanitation, the MCE stated that the Assembly would from next year ensure strict compliance to the building by-laws of the Assembly.

“The by-laws when effectively implemented would mean that every building put up in the municipality would have hygienic toilet facilities for its occupants,” he said.