The presiding judge of the Agona Swedru Circuit Court, Mr Nathaniel K.E. Osam, has appealed to the Agona West Municipal Assembly (AWMA), as a matter of urgency, to consider relocating the Bebianiha public place of convenience and a refuse dump which are a few metres away from the court complex. According to him, the location of the court complex - which houses both the circuit and the magistrates' courts - close to the public place of convenience was affecting court proceedings and posed a health risk to the staff of the court and users of the facility. In an interview with the Daily Graphic, the judge noted that the stench emanating from the place of convenience at one point forced him to suspend proceedings at the court. He added that the situation could expose the staff and people who sought the services of the court to illnesses due to the proximity of food joints in the area. He indicated further that he had been forced to adjust to the current situation while urging the municipal assembly to find a lasting solution to the problem to forestall possible outbreak of an epidemic in future. A lawyer at the court, Mr Alexander Graham, who could not hide his frustration, said “the stench had been disrupting court proceedings and asked that something be done quickly as it is an embarrassment to the court.” A worker at the court also added that she had personally taken steps to ensure that something was done about the stench but had not succeeded.