The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) in collaboration with Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP) has marked this year's World Toilet Day with a float to sensitise landlords on the need to provide proper places of convenience for their households.

The float which started from the Accra City Hall saw the staff of the Public Health Department of the AMA as well as WSUP distributing educational materials about the household toilet facilities and sensitising residents on the importance of acquiring a proper sanitary facility to attend to nature's call whiles reinforcing Covid-19 prevention messages.

The officers marched through the Asafoatse Nettey street, Nii Ayi Kukrudu road, and ended at the forecourt of Sikkens Ghana at Agbobgloshie amidst music and dancing.

World Toilet Day is an annual global event organized by the United Nations (UN) to raise awareness on the 4.2 billion people living without access to safely managed sanitation.

The day also seeks to address the global sanitation crisis and achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: Water and Sanitation for all by 2030.

Speaking at a durbar to climax the celebration, Mayor of Accra, Mohammed Adjei Sowah in a speech read on his behalf disclosed that the Assembly through the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area Sanitation and Water Project (GAMA-SWP) had provided access to improve toilet facilities for some 4,200 households with the average use of 10 persons per facility as well as 25 Institutional Sanitation Facilities (varying from 10-20 seater) in 23 clusters of schools, in the City.

He said the Assembly through the household toilet facility hopes to eliminate open defecation, improve access to basic sanitation services and promote hygienic attitudes among City dwellers.

He urged citizens to approach the Assembly to acquire a toilet facility at a subsidized rate adding that beneficiaries would only have to choose a package that best suits them from the GH¢600.00 or GH¢1,100 payment plans.

He also used the occasion to caution City dwellers against the Covid-19 pandemic and urged them to wash their hands frequently and wear masks always. ‘’Staying hygienic saves lives, Soap and water save lives’’

The Secretary of Old Fadama Public Toilet Association, Mr Nartey Oware in a remark commended the Assembly on efforts towards improving sanitation in the community and appealed for more handwashing facilities to promote good hygiene.

WSUP and its partners, Unilever and the UK Government also used the occasion to donate handwashing stations, nose masks and Unilever Lifebuoy branded sanitizers to the Agbobgloshie Market and lorry stations.

A similar event was also held in Kumasi and Tamale concurrently to commemorate the day.