An Institutional Sanitation Facility has been commissioned for Osei Kyeretwie Senior High School (OKESS) by the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area (GKMA), under the World Bank funded Water Sanitation Project.
The project was in response to a request by the Asantehene to rescue over 5,000 students who are faced with limited places of convenience.
He lauded stakeholders and the school authorities for their cooperation with the contractor to ensure the successful completion of the facility.
Nana Agyekum Kusi Ababio, Oyokohene, who represented Otumfuo at the commissioning ceremony, commended Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) and Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area (GKMA) for their commitment and efforts in improving Sanitation and Environmental Hygiene.
He noted that the project had contributed hugely to enhancing environmental hygiene of the people and school environment in ensuring a conducive teaching and learning environment.
Engineer George Asiedu, Water and Sanitation Project (WSP) Coordinator stated that the project’s objective was to prioritise Water and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) to complement government’s efforts to achieve the SDG 6, as one key environmental hygiene for every human being.
He indicated that the government, through the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, saw the need to replicate the GAMA project to Kumasi, dubbed Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area (GKMA).
According to him, the target was to build about 30,000 household toilet facilities in three years, but exceeded the target.
He said the project also targeted about 120 Institutional Sanitation Facilities for basic schools, across Kumasi Metropolitan Area, with 27 going to second cycle schools.
Ing. Asiedu disclosed that the facility is special because GAMA project came out with another innovative project to provide a space for the physically challenged and girl child with a changing room during their monthly menstruation.
He said GKMA also supported the beneficiary schools with GH¢5,000 for the maintenance, wellington boots, T-roll, sanitizers, gallons of liquid soaps, mopping, detergents Buckets, Dustbins that the students could be using for three months.
Mr. Michael Mensah, Headmaster of Osei Kyeretwie Senior High School (OKESS) expressed gratitude to GKMA, the Ministry of Sanitation, Water Resources and World Bank for the project.
He said the facility would not only promote the health needs of the students, but also have a conducive place of convenience and learning environment.
