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M-CODe 2023 Anti-Open Defecation Nationwide Advocacy to be launched
The Media Coalition Against Open Defecation (M-CODe) is to launch “M-CODe 2023 Anti-Open Defecation Nationwide Advocacy,” which is relentless national advocacy aimed at ending the practice of defecating in the open, rather than in a toilet.
In a statement signed by Mr. Francis Ameyibor, M-CODe National Convenor and copied thespectatoronline.com , the coalition seeks through “M-CODe 2023 Anti-OD Nationwide Advocacy,” to rejuvenate locally, the public awareness campaign toward the global target of elimination of open defecation (OD) by 2030.
M-CODe acknowledges the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) goal six which requires a substantial acceleration in toilet use, stressing that “open defecation is an affront to the dignity, health, and well-being, especially of girls and women”.
According to the statement, M-CODe has also initiated strategic engagement with World Vision Ghana which has been a major backbone of the coalition as well as the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) Sanitation and Water Project for Ghana toward upscaling advocacy against open defecation.
The M-CODe revealed that open defecation is scientifically linked with poor sanitation, engagement in unhygienic practices such as not washing hands with soap after open defecation, and spreading germs from one stage to the other.
The M-CODe admitted that open defecation has been practiced for centuries and in some environments embedded in cultural norms, but in the 21st century, there is a need for a sustained shift in the behaviour of whole communities so that a new norm, toilet use by all, is created and accepted.
M-CODe also through the advocacy would engage strategic stakeholders, including Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Ministry of Sanitation among others to revamp and sustain the activism to change the parameters and create an open defecation-free society.
The M-CODe 2023 Anti-OD Nationwide Advocacy would also focus on religious and traditional leaders, media personnel, celebrities, politicians, civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations, and other strategic stakeholders in the environmental, health, sanitation, as well as industry players.
The Media Coalition Against Open Defecation also called on the corporate world to support the national efforts at ending open defecation which also requires investment in the construction, maintenance, and use of latrines, and other basic services.
The M-CODe 2023 Anti-OD Nationwide Advocacy would also focus on a series of activities in line with the World Water Day events slated for March 22, and World Toilet Day fixed for November 19.
Both events have the United Nations global theme: “Accelerating Change through Partnerships and Cooperation”.
BY BENEDICTA GYIMAAH FOLLEY
Parliament has confirmed that the Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North, Kwame Ohene Frimpong, has been detained at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
In a statement signed by the Clerk to Parliament, Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, Parliament said the incident had been brought to the attention of the House leadership.
According to the statement, the Speaker of Parliament and the leadership of the House are currently in contact with Ghana’s Mission in The Hague to gather detailed information about the matter.
Parliament, however, did not disclose the reasons behind the MP’s detention.
“The public will be duly informed appropriately on this matter,” the statement added.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana’s parliament has marked the 2nd edition of May Day 2026 under the theme “ Welcome Home”.
It was special day meant to celebrate the invaluable support of the workforce, recognizing the commitment, resilience, and contributions of workers to institutional growth and national development.
Delivering the message on behalf of the Speaker, the 1st Deputy Speaker, Bernard Ahiafor, described the theme as very apt, appropriate, and timely, noting that Parliament is more than a workplace, it is a shared home.
He emphasized that we cannot speak about work without speaking about people, reminding everyone that the true measure of our work is the well-being of our people.
He urged that our traditional clothing become an integral part of our everyday clothing, and that our local languages must become integral to our daily lives, interwoven into education and practiced at home.
Referencing Standing Order 63, which captures the use of local language as optional in deliberations, he encouraged a renewed commitment to identity, saying it is significant that we “come home” and present who we are so future generations can inherit a story they can fully tell.
The Clerk, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, in his remarks commended officers for their dedication and devotion to duty, calling on them to go the extra mile and leave legacies.
Echoing the reminder that an unexamined life is not worth living, he described the event as an invitation to reconnect with our roots through cultural revival.
The Deputy Clerk, C&FMS, Dr. Gloria Sarku Kumawu, urged all not to forget their roots, the people behind the stories of ministries, industries, and the strides made both in-house and beyond.
What began last year has now become a meaningful tradition, showcasing Ghanaian heritage, fostering unity, and encouraging innovation under the principle of diversity for unity and diversity for progress, she added.
The gathering brought together leadership, public officials, and staff across all levels, along with the media, standing as a unifying platform that honored service, celebrated culture, and reaffirmed a shared commitment to national development.
