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The Upper East Regional Minister, Rockson Bukari, has tasked all thirteen Municipal and District assemblies in the region to constitute task-forces to arrest sanitation offenders for prosecution.

According to him, this will reduce the region’s alarming rate of open defecation.

He said the damming reports of the region having placed first conservatively in open defecation needs a radical approach to reverse the situation.

Mr. Rockson disclosed this during the Bolgatanga municipal town hall meeting. He said until sanitation offenders are arrested and prosecuted by law enforcement agencies, the region may suffer communicable and airborne diseases.

“Another area I wish to draw the attention of our people to is open defecation especially in Bolgatanga and the region at large. Our region is rated the last nationwide by a UNICEF report on sanitation because we do not have household toilets and therefore we do it anywhere.”

“While assemblies in other regions are struggling to attain 50% of their target in sanitation the Upper East hits 130%. We cannot relax on this and we have to take stringent measures to correct it. I am tasking all assemblies’ to form task-forces to arrest those who defecate openly and send them to court for prosecution.”

“We are also giving landlords who do not have toilets in their house three (3) months to provide them or have their houses locked up.

People should report such landlords to the assembly’s sanitation unit because you will be disgraced before the whole world if you are found defecating openly.”

Mr. Rockson impressed on the citizenry to honour their tax obligations to facilitate the development of the municipality.

He also urged the citizenry to report revenue collectors who intend to milk the state to the police, adding that, people should insist on receipts for any transaction they carry out.

Mr. Rockson entreated all and sundry to embrace the many government programmes such as the Free SHS policy, Planting for Food and Jobs, one district, one factory among others, geared towards ameliorating the suffering of Ghanaians, and contribute their quota to help government succeed.