Situational analysis of sanitation in the bole township, Ghana

Abstract

Understanding the socio-cultural and economic factors that influence people’s sanitation behavior in the community can help achieve the sanitation-related Sustainable Development Goals. This study examined the sanitation situation in Bole Township, focusing on household latrine ownership and use, open defecation, and the relationship between sanitation practices and disease. The study employed an explanatory sequential design, integrating both quantitative and qualitative methods. Data were gathered from 392 respondents, mainly household heads, through a questionnaire survey, interviews, and observations. The findings showed that socio-cultural beliefs continued to influence sanitation behavior in Bole Township, with 30% of respondents indicating a preference for open defecation because it was their tradition. The study further revealed that many household latrine toilets were in poor condition: 35% of respondents reported that their toilets were poorly constructed but still in use. In comparison, 25% confirmed that their toilets had collapsed or stopped working. 40% of respondents stated that the high cost of construction materials deterred them from building toilets. Furthermore, the study found that most sanitation projects and interventions did not achieve lasting results, with 35% of respondents reporting that earlier sanitation projects were ineffective. Diseases linked to poor sanitation, particularly diarrhea, remained common in Bole Township, with 32% of respondents reporting having suffered sanitation-related illnesses. The study recommends that the District Assembly, the Environmental Health Unit, and NGOs involved in sanitation should collaborate to support toilet construction, enhance health education, and improve waste management through greater community participation, stronger monitoring, and enforcement of sanitation legislation.