As part of activities leading up to the 2025 WASH Week celebration, the Ghana WASH Journalists Network (GWJN), in collaboration with the Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS), has conducted a field assessment at Madina Market in Accra to evaluate the state of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities.
The visit, conducted on Thursday, July 31, 2025, revealed troubling sanitation challenges faced by traders and shoppers at one of Accra’s busiest commercial centres.
Despite accommodating thousands of people daily, access to basic sanitation in the market remains inadequate.
Traders and customers expressed frustration over the lack of functional public toilets, limited access to potable water, and the near absence of handwashing facilities.
Currently, the only relatively clean toilet facility available is privately managed and charges GH¢5 for VIP access and GH¢3 for regular use fees many market users find unaffordable for daily use.
Open drains filled with stagnant water and poor waste disposal practices further compound the issue, heightening the risk of disease outbreaks such as cholera and malaria.
GWJN’s field visit is part of a broader campaign to spotlight the urgent need for improved WASH infrastructure in public spaces
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According to the network, the conditions at Madina Market reflect a wider national issue, as many markets and transport terminals across Ghana face similar challenges.
“As we approach WASH Week 2025, it is critical that we bring these issues to light and demand action,” a GWJN representative said. “Access to clean water, safe sanitation, and hygiene is not a privilege it is a right. Public health depends on it.”
In response to the concerns, Eunice Quao, Secretary of the Madina Market, stated that the market leadership and traders continue to adhere to sanitation regulations and have made considerable efforts to maintain cleanliness.
She emphasized that Madina Market remains one of the cleanest in the city due to the commitment of its stakeholders.
However, Madam Quao acknowledged persistent challenges, especially the lack of sanitation supplies such as handwashing buckets, which were more available during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She also raised concerns about the deteriorating state of the public toilet facility, describing it as deplorable and inadequate for the volume of users. She appealed to government agencies and partners to support the market with better sanitation infrastructure.
“We are doing our best to keep the market clean, but we need help,” she said. “We urgently need a functional public toilet and a steady supply of sanitation materials to keep the environment safe and hygienic.”
The poor sanitation situation extends beyond the market to the adjoining transport station, where similar frustrations have been voiced.
Joseph Nii Bonne Arthur, Secretary of the Madina-Adenta Central Drivers Committee, described the station’s sanitation conditions as a public health risk.
He explained that although a private company, Decobuild, was contracted by the former Municipal Assembly to modernize the station, promised improvements especially sanitation facilities—have not been delivered.
“Toilets are in deplorable condition, and there are no functioning handwashing facilities,” he said. “We live and work in filth and stench every day, yet the tolls we pay are not being used to address these basic issues.”
He disclosed that drivers pay up to GH¢20 per load in tolls, while traders contribute daily levies.
However, there is still no access to clean water or decent sanitation facilities. Multiple complaints to Decobuild have gone unanswered, prompting the committee to petition the Municipal Assembly and other authorities for urgent intervention.
“We are not asking for luxury—just the basics,” Mr. Arthur stressed. “We need working toilets, regular cleaning, and access to water for handwashing. This is about health, dignity, and safety.”
As WASH Week 2025 approaches, GWJN and CONIWAS are calling on municipal authorities, the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, and private partners to take urgent, concrete steps to improve sanitation at Madina Market and other public spaces nationwide.
Source: Isaac Kofi Dzokpo/newsghana.com.gh