Tourism in Ghana is being crippled by open defecation - Catherine Afeku

pulse-ghana admin

February 6, 2017 2:51 PM

Mrs. Catherine Afeku has described the open defecation in the country as a major discouragement to the tourism sector.

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Minister - designate of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Mrs. Catherine Afeku has indicated that the practice of easing oneself in the open especially along the country’s beaches has contributed to the low patronage of tourism in the country.

She noted steps must be taken to rectify the situation which has constantly harmed Ghana's outlook on the international market.

She told the vetting committee on Monday, February 6 that:

“You cannot aggressively bring people for tourism when you have open defecation at the beaches.”

She said countries like Kenya, where tourism brings in so much foreign exchange, have a practical advantage over Ghana because of issues like sanitation.

Mrs. Afeku was of the view that if sanitation was not addressed, tourism would continue to suffer.

The Minister-designate indicated that the set-up of the Sanitation Ministry was laudable. She assured the house that if she is approved as minister, she will collaborate with that ministry to ensure Ghana’s beaches are devoid of filth.

Meanwhile, UNICEF’s Country Director of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene, David Duncan, has said that considering the current rate, it will take Ghana 500 years to bring an end to ‘free ranging’ or open defecation.

An estimated 1.1 billion people in developing countries, including Ghana, ease themselves outdoors, though the practice is considered the greatest danger to human health.

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pulse-ghana admin