Ada Chief Locks Up Public Toilet …Over GH¢4,000 Debt

An estimated 10,000 residents of Akplabanya in the Ada West District of the Greater Accra Region have resorted to openly defecating on the banks of the Sea Shore, not because there is no place of convenience for them, but because the chief of the community, Nene Ankrah Kitcher Labia VI, had put the newly-constructed state of the art water closest toilet facility under lock and key because he claimed he was owed by the District Assembly.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in collaboration with the then Dangme East District Assembly, put up a 10-seater toilet, with auxiliary facilities, including 4 poly-tanks for water storage and electricity for the 10,000 people in the community, but the fenced edifice cannot be used.

Interestingly, Nene AnkraKitcher Labia, who kept the place under lock, vowed not to open it for use until the Assembly paid him the GH¢4,000 it owed him.

As a result, residents of Akplabanya now ease themselves at any available place as the other two old toilets have deteriorated beyond repairs, and are no longer in use.

Reacting to the issue, the District Chief Executive for the area, Hon. Adzoteye Lawer Akrofi, said even though he made several appeals to the chief to allow the community to get access to the facility while the Assembly paid himby instalment, he (chief) refused.

He recalled that, at a point, the chief physically prevented a team of Assembly staff who went there to officially commission the facility.

The DCE said the good news, however, was that the Assembly was mobilising funds to pay the chief in bulk to end the impasse.

Nene Ankrah Kitcher Labia VI, when contacted, confirmed all the reports. He, however, denied that he physically prevented Assembly staff from commissioning the project.

-MORE-SOON