37-year-old jailed for open defecation

The Elmina Magistrate Court has sentenced a 37-year-old man identified as Yakubu Hakuna to 12 months in prison for brazenly engaging in open defecation at the Elmina beach in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem Municipality of the Central region.

He was among the six people arrested Friday, January 5, 2018, for openly attending to nature’s call at the beach—a conduct the Municipality’s by-laws frown on.

Monitoring the development for StarrFMonline.com, Starr News’ Central Correspondent Kwaku Baah-Acheamfour reported that Hakuna was jailed because he failed to raise the GH¢450 fine imposed on him for attending nature’s call in the open.

The move, according to authorities in the area will help bring an abrupt end to the open defecation menace which has become prevalent in the area despite educational campaigns by the assembly to stop it.

Authorities further indicate that the fines and subsequent prison sentences will not only cause tenants to put pressure on landlords to provide homes with toilet facilities but ultimately help in stopping the potential for outbreak of diseases due to the indiscriminate activity of defecation in the open.