By News Desk
Despite its reputation as one of Ghana’s cleanest regions, the Volta Region is confronting a sobering sanitation challenge, with only 319 out of more than 2,700 communities certified as Open Defecation-Free (ODF)—representing just 11.7 per cent coverage.
The figures, released by the Volta Regional Environmental Health and Sanitation Unit, highlight a widening gap between perception and reality as Ghana races toward its 2030 target of ending open defecation nationwide.
Regional Director Mrs Stella Kumedzro says the current pace of progress is insufficient and risks undermining years of sanitation gains if not urgently addressed.
“Volta is leading in cleanliness, but leadership comes with responsibility. At this pace, achieving total ODF status by 2030 will be very difficult,” she told the Media
Uneven Progress Across Districts
While districts such as Afadjato South, Agotime-Ziope and Akatsi South are recording steady improvements, others—including South Tongu, Central Tongu and North Tongu—continue to trail, exposing disparities in implementation, enforcement and community engagement.
Early sanitation successes were driven by strong partnerships with organisations like UNICEF, World Vision and Plan International Ghana, but funding reductions have weakened routine monitoring and follow-ups.
“Behaviour change requires consistent engagement. When funding declined, field supervision reduced, and that slowed progress,” Mrs Kumedzro explained.
Funding Boost and Community Ownership
In response, government has directed that 10 per cent of the District Assembly Common Fund be dedicated to sanitation projects—a move the Regional Director described as timely and strategic.
She also underscored the effectiveness of the Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach, where communities themselves identify sanitation challenges and enforce solutions.
“When communities own the process, sanitation improvements become sustainable,” she said.
Schools, Girls and Sanitation Gaps
Sanitation challenges persist in schools, with recent inspections uncovering poor facilities in some institutions. Mrs Kumedzro warned that inadequate sanitation is contributing to absenteeism, especially among adolescent girls who lack access to safe changing spaces during menstruation.
Renewed Momentum Through National Sanitation Day
The revival of National Sanitation Day, observed monthly, is helping restore communal responsibility. Assemblies such as Keta, Kpando and Hohoe have stepped up efforts by engaging youth groups, schools, and traditional authorities, with some chiefs enforcing local by-laws and sanctions against open defecation.
Despite these interventions, the Regional Director stressed that limited resources and occasional resistance remain major hurdles.
Race Against Time
As the 2030 deadline approaches, Volta’s sanitation drive has entered a critical phase—one that will require stronger collaboration, sustained funding, and deeper community commitment.
“Being seen as clean is not enough. We must prove it with results,” Mrs Kumedzro concluded.
The region’s next steps, she warned, will determine whether Volta sustains its reputation—or risks falling behind in Ghana’s national sanitation agenda.
Source News Volta
