The Ada East and West districts are battling a crisis that cuts deep into the fabric of human dignity and public health. Cholera, the disease of poverty and poor sanitation, has already claimed two lives and left over 30 suspected cases in its wake. Beneath these numbers lies a stark reality—entire communities are at war with a preventable disease, yet they lack the basic tools and amenities to fight back.
This is Ada’s silent crisis, where the earth itself, the waters of the Volta River, and systemic neglect conspire against the people.
A Grim Journey on World Toilet Day
Marking World Toilet Day, I joined a field trip by the Ghana WASH Journalists Network, supported by World Vision Ghana, to uncover the sanitation challenges fueling the outbreak. What we found was nothing short of alarming.
In these two districts, open defecation is not a choice; it is a grim necessity. Only 15% of households in Ada East and 18% in Ada West have access to basic toilet facilities. Public toilets, where they exist, are dilapidated and poorly maintained. For the rest, the bushes and shores serve as makeshift latrines.
At Anyamam, Goi, Wekumagbe, and Akplabanya, and other communities the absence of sanitation infrastructure has turned these communities into ticking time bombs. Residents, aware of the risks, express helplessness.
“We know the dangers,” said one mother, standing near a bush where her children often defecate. “But what can we do? We have no toilets. The government needs to help us.”
The Schoolchildren’s Plight
At the Anyamam cluster of schools, the over 500 pupils face a daily ordeal. Their only toilet facility has been locked for repairs, forcing them into the surrounding bushes. Teachers and parents alike worry about the risks posed by snakes and other reptiles—not to mention the indignity of the situation.
Two pupils we met coming from the bushes after attending nature’s call during school hours, shared their fears:
“It’s scary to go into the bush, but we have no choice. And there’s no water to wash our hands after.”
These children, the future of Ada, are growing up in an environment that normalizes indignity, danger, and disease.
The Volta River’s Betrayal
For communities along the Volta River in the Ada East District, the struggle is even more complex. The high water table makes constructing toilets nearly impossible. Attempts to dig result in water flooding the pits, rendering traditional sanitation solutions useless.
And then there is the tide—a cruel betrayer. During high tides, the river washes fecal matter from the bushes and shores back into the communities. Drinking water sources become contaminated, and with them, the hope of halting the cholera outbreak.
Samuel Adjovu, an elder in one of the affected communities, Azizanya sees a potential solution:
“If the river is dredged, the flooding could stop. But this requires resources, and we don’t have them.”
The community close to the river Volta’s estuary is sinking below the water level. It was a reclaimed land turned into a fishing community and there is the need to dredge the river and use sandbars to prevent the water from flooding the community but several calls for help have fallen on dead ears according to the community leaders.
Leadership Amidst Crisis
Local leaders are caught between the urgency of the situation and the inadequacy of their resources. Chiefs, elders, and assembly members have made repeated appeals for help.
The chief of Goi and the Assemblyman for Anyamam electoral area both pleased with journalists and officials from the World Vision Ghana to seek support for the community to be able to address their sanitation challenges including the lack of toilets.
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Ada West, Sampson Tetteh Kpankpah outlined the steps being taken:
“We are educating the public and deploying limited resources to fight the outbreak. We have also formed a bylaw to ensure social distancing and undertaken cleanup exercises in the communities.
But we cannot do this alone. External support is crucial.”
The District Environmental Health Officer, Millicent Ohui Macarthy, put it bluntly:
“Our department is stretched thin. We are doing our best, but we need logistics like vehicles to be able to work effectively and succeed.”
In Ada East, the story is the same. Efforts are underway to introduce innovative toilet designs that can work with the high water table, but funding remains a barrier.
Cholera: The Price of Neglect
Cholera is a disease of inequality. It thrives where sanitation systems are broken, where water is unsafe, and where dignity is ignored. The outbreak in Ada is a testament to the consequences of systemic neglect.
Yaw Atta Arhin, WASH Technical Specialist for World Vision Ghana, highlighted the direct link between poor sanitation and the outbreak:
“The sanitation situation is poor and it is not surprising that there is an outbreak of cholera. The government needs to intervene quickly to ensure that there are enough toilet facilities. We need collaboration, innovation, and urgent action.”
Hope Amid Despair
Despite the grim circumstances, there are glimmers of hope. The Zoomlion Foundation led by its Director Thomas Korley is educating pupils in schools in the Communities on effective Handwashing and hygiene. According to him the Zoomlion is intensifying its waste collection in the districts.
For now, the people of Ada East and West continue to live on the edge—between survival and despair, dignity and indignity.
A Call to Action
World Toilet Day serves as a reminder of the critical role sanitation plays in public health and human dignity. For Ada, the time for action is now.
It is obvious the nation cannot afford to look away. The lives lost to cholera, the children defecating in bushes, and the communities ravaged by neglect all demand attention. This is not just Ada’s crisis; it is a national shame.
This is a wake-up call to the government, development partners, and all who hold the power to make a difference. Ada’s people are calling for help. Will we answer?
Story by: Samuel Asamoah
