Public urged to practice good hygiene

Accra, Nov. 19, GNA - Ghana on Thursday joined the world to celebrate World Toilet Day with the government using it to highlight concerns about the sanitation situation in the country and to create awareness to ensure behavioural change.

A statement signed by Mrs Zita Okaikoi, Minister of Information, said the Government, and for that matter the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, was committed to lead efforts at implementing the national sanitation action plan, and also funding the effective implementation of other related plans on a sustainable basis.

The global community, including Ghana, is expected to create the needed platform to raise awareness for the people of inadequate sanitation facilities including household toilets.

In Ghana the theme for World Toilet Day is: "Stop Open Defecation, Use the Toilets".

To mark the day school children from the Nima Cluster of Schools will symbolically queue with prominent officials for their turn to visit the toilet.

They will enter the toilet, come out, wash hands and pledge their support for the use of latrine by stamping on a hoisted canvas.

The day will also be declared as Basic School Toilet Cleaning Day.

It is expected that the school health teachers will plan and provide the needed support and direction to pupils and children to make this a success.

The day is also expected to be marked by all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies led by their Chief Executives. They are also expected to spend at least one hour to clean toilet facilities within the assembly offices.

GNA