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EDUCATION

Ho Technical University to lead Finnish Government’s sustainable sanitation programme

The Ho Technical University has been tasked to lead a sustainable sanitation project in districts in the Volta Region.

Date Created : 6/20/2023 12:00:00 AM : Story Author : Maxwell Awumah/Ghanadistricts.com

The Sustainable Sanitation in the Volta Region programme is being offered by the Global Dry Toilet Association in Finland in collaboration with Jamk University of Applied Sciences.

Through the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Finland, they partnered with the Ho Municipal Assembly and the Technical University in 2019 for the implementation of a sustainable sanitation model.

Ten institutional toilets were constructed in the Municipality using the Urine Diverting Dry Toilet (UDDT) model, which is harvested urine for processing into an agricultural input.

A team led by Ms. Tuija Manerus, Project Specialist and Lecturer at the Jamk University, paid a courtesy call on Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, the Volta Regional Minister, ahead of the commencement of the new programme.

Madam Stella Kumedzro, Regional Environmental Health Officer, was present at the engagement, and the Regional Minister was briefed on the success of the pilot programme, which proved the potency in meeting both sanitation and agronomic needs, with vital role played by the HTU.

An exchange programme forms part of the programme, which would enable officers of the Environmental Health Department to broaden and enhance their expertise in Finland.

The Regional Minister was told that the Ho West, Adaklu and Agortime Ziope Districts would also become beneficiaries of the Sustainable Sanitation programme to help transform sanitation and enhance agriculture.

Dr. Letsa expressed joy about the partnership and shared the appreciation of the Regional Coordinating Council for the project.

He expressed satisfaction with the efforts to harvest urine for agricultural uses, and stated, “The partnership would not only improve sanitation in the Region but also assist farmers to improve crop production at a lower cost.”

He praised the Ho Technical University’s commitment and successes with the programme, and was confident of sustained progress during the upscale period.

The Technical University’s recent resounding scientific breakthrough with the baobab tree gives enviable credit to the role of urea, harvested at the urine diverting dry toilets.