The Asutifi North District Assembly organized two community engagement programs named "Mekrom Ahonidie Mpuntuo" on June 21 and 23 in Kensere and Agravi, respectively. The main objective of these programs was to involve the chiefs and residents of the district in enhancing the ANAM WASH project and to encourage them to take responsibility for the WASH facilities provided.
At the community event held in Kensere, Bismark K. Asante, the Head of the District Planning Unit, urged residents to assume responsibility for maintaining water facilities and enhancing their sanitation and hygiene practices to prevent contamination and the transmission of infections. He further informed the attendees that, as per the new sanitation by-law, the Assembly is no longer authorized to construct public toilets. Consequently, residents are encouraged to participate in the Community-led Total Sanitation (CLTS) program and take advantage of it to build household toilets.
During the event in Agravi, Mr. Asante expressed his admiration for the teachers at Agravi Basic School, recognizing their dedication to promoting good sanitation practices. However, he also highlighted a concerning issue of community members trespassing and using the school latrines. Prince John Ntem, the District Environmental Health Officer, emphasized that the latrines at Agravi Basic School were specifically built for the students and teachers. He urged community members to refrain from breaking the locks and utilizing the latrines when the school is not in session.
During the event, Mr.Ntem commended the chief of Krakyekrom and encouraged other chiefs to follow his lead. He explained that when the District Assembly and partners initiated the CLTS program in Krakyekrom, Nana Abebrese made a commitment to construct a latrine within two weeks, and he fulfilled that promise. This act of dedication inspired the residents of his community to do the same. Mr. Ntem urged other communities to seize the opportunity presented by the CLTS program and construct household latrines using locally available materials.
Larry Suleman, the Assembly member representing the Kensere electoral area, proposed a cost-sharing approach for constructing latrines. He suggested that if individual households cannot afford the construction expenses, two or three households can come together and collectively share the cost of building a latrine.
Aspart of the "Mekrom Ahonidie Mpuntuo" program, the WASH Desk recruited community members as volunteers and ambassadors for WASH. Nana Kwame Asamoah II, the Chief of Kensere, volunteered to become a WASH ambassador and urged the public to join him in raising awareness about WASH in their community. Chiefs and residents from nearby small communities, such as Aboagyaa, Adu Kwadwokrom, Kwamkobi, Osei Kwame, Asrifikrom, DCkrom, Banuyena, Pokukrom, Onyinase, Krakyekrom, Kojo Nkrumah, Pokukrom, Yabeneagya, Anwonakrom, Kwabenafo, Ntrakwa, Anlo Mensah, Charleskrom, Forest Ano, Biaso Kasapin, Beposo, and others, were also present at the "Mekrom Ahonidie Mpuntuo" events.