The dark side of Ashaiman

By Helena Selby
Ashaiman is a town near Accra the capital of Ghana apart from it being known for notoriety and other forms of social vices, noise and congestion is also a problem. It as well has some of its places filthy and stinky due to indiscriminate nature of defecation and dumping of rubbish. Residences of Ashaiman are made up of almost all the tribes in Ghana and even outside Ghana. They are often known for their intense riot and breaking of rules and regulation. People who know much about Ashaiman always rejects the idea of leaving there since they have the notion that it is not a safe place to live or even raise child. Aside their flaws they also deem it important to work hard for their survival since they always stress on the saying that, “each man for himself, God for as all”. If one may ask, what will be the essence of hard work if the people are not prepared to change the situation on their land in term of indiscriminate defecating? May be they have tried to change their notoriety into a societal virtue but didn’t work out, how about the habit of defecation which is making some part of the environment extremely stinky.

Ashaiman and habits of defecation
Bit by bit filth is gradually decreasing in the land of Ashaiman due to the existence of the famous waste management company “Zoomlion”. The workers make it a point to sweep the environment everyday just to make the environment attractive and conducive. Even though some of the people most times refuse to see how tidy the environment is and continue t litter, these workers make it a point to do their jobs well. They go to the extent of moving from house to house to collect individuals rubbish at their various homes and pay some amount of money at the end of the month. This in way has reduced the habit of indiscriminate rubbish dumping. It is a good thing that with the help of waste management companies the situation in Ashaiman has changed however with the issue of defecation it seems that the people have a long way to go.

Defecating on the environment even though is common in many parts of Ghana, Ashaiman cannot be counted out. Many people there even go to the extent of defecating in to polythyne bags and just throwing it into gutters. Their frequent habit is defecating right beside the overhead bridge and nearby bushes. Both the young and old defecate openly without any sense of shyness right beside the busy road. Even though the place is often stinky some mothers care less but allow their kids to eat and take their bath there. Apart from people eating there, people as well sell there when night is falling. During the day because of the presence of the mechanics, they as well sell to these them.

Reason behind the habit
Ashaiman is a town mostly considered to have no plan. Buildings are scattered all over and landlords and land ladies build without the provision of toilet facilities so tenant always have no choice than to go to the nearby Kumasi Ventilation Improved Pit (KVIP) whenever they feel like going to the washroom. Unfortunately the number of KVIP in Ashaiman is not enough for the number of people living there. The old ones are the ones the people still rely on even though their population increases everyday. For some of them because the old ones are extremely old it makes the place very stinky, hot and uncomfortable to use, making them sometimes to feel nauseous. They said because of the heat and stink their dresses and bodies smell a lot and leave them no choice than to take a bath even when they not ready to. Due to this they always prefer to go to the roadside or the bushes to get fresh air and as well defecate freely.

Defecating on the environment and its effects
As the rainy season is already here the possibility of the rain causing stagnant waters is there. These stagnant waters will start to breed mosquitoes. Mosquitoes bring about the spread of malaria which so far has being reported to have being killing millions of people on the African continent. Malaria has gone a long way in creating maternal mortality among pregnant women as well a lot of children at their tender age. Indiscriminate defecating on the environment makes way for the rain to carry them into river bodies which might be used for domestic or industrial purpose. In this case when the water is being used without boiling or distilling it, it makes way for cholera.

Defecating on the environment will as well attract houseflies and will result in they spreading bacteria on the food of those who sell and eat there. When this happens being infected with cholera is one of the only options especially with children. According to Wikipedia website, cholera transmission to humans occurs through eating food or drinking water contaminated with cholera vibrios. The major reservoir for cholera was long assumed to be humans themselves, but considerable evidence exists that aquatic environment can serve as reservoirs of the bacteria.

Defecating on the environment takes away all forms of sanitation from the environment which is very is vital for health. A community with a bad sense of sanitation has a high possibility of its people being always sick. For Integrated Social Development Centre ISODEC, poor sanitation can as well cause diarrhea. According to them it kills 5,000 infants and children. Access to hygienic toilets can reduce child diarrhoea death by more than 30%.

Apart from the health issues surrounding this habit of defecation, it as well drives people way from either living there or investing there. Every now and then both citizens and foreigners use the overhead bridge to the motorway and with the habit of defecating beside the roads and bushes of this bridge it in no doubt drive investors away from wanting to invest there.

Conclusion
Health is a good thing people of Ashaiman should learn to put their health at heart and make use of the few existing ones to avoid putting their health at stake. It should be the responsibly of landlords and landladies to put their health as well as that of their tenant into consideration whenever they are building since the out break of an epidemic involves them as well. It will also be in the interest of the people and the nation, if the government builds for the people of Ashaiman more KVIP’s to ease their trouble in the use of their existing toilet facilities. It will go a long way in preventing diseases, stinky environment, and even attracting investors to the town. When the environment is well protected from all kinds of disease it will make the people healthy and happy. This will result in preserving the lives of the labour force of the country.