Finnish Government commended for extending UDDT project

Mr Divine Bosson, Ho Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) in the Volta Region has commended the Finnish Government for the extension of the Urine Divert Dry Toilet (UDDT) project to the Municipality.

Since 2005, the Finnish Government through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Global Dry Toilet Association have been providing support to the Environmental Health Department of the Ho Municipal Assembly to carry out the UDDT project.

At a stakeholders’ meeting to assess the implementation of the project in the Municipality, it was revealed that the project would be extended from 2023 to 2026.

Mr Bosson described the extension of the project as good news and that his outfit was ready to provide every necessary support to ensure its successful implementation.

He said the Assembly attached a particular importance to the project as it aimed at ensuring a clean, safe, and sustainable environment for socio-economic development.

The MCE said the inclusion of afforestation in the next phase of the project was appropriate and that it was in line with the Assembly’s City Oxygen project, which required planting of more trees.

He said the Assembly had measures in place, which ensured that before a person was issued with a building permit, the individual had to plant at least five trees on the land.

Madam Tuija Manerus, Project Engineer, Jamk University of Applied Sciences, Finland, who revealed the extension of the project said the project aimed at protecting the environment and encouraged the people in the region and beyond to embrace it.

She said Jamk University of Applied Sciences with expertise in research, development and innovation on circular economy, agriculture, nutrient cycles, dry toilets, and bioeconomy would provide training and guidance to local partners.

Madam Manerus said there were plans to extend the project beyond the Ho Municipality for people in other districts to benefit and to see the need to protect the environment using the UDDT.

She commended the local partners – the Ho Municipal Assembly and the Ho Technical University for the high level of seriousness attached to the project and the successes chalked.

Madam Comfort Sunu, Deputy Environmental Health Officer, Ho Municipal Assembly told Ghana News Agency the extension of project would help cover more communities with the facility.

She said it was also a testament of the effective implementation of the project by the Assembly and other locals partner including the Ho Technical University.

In all, 70 Urine Divert Dry Toilet (UDDT) have been built in the Municipality, which comprised 60 households and 10 institutions.