Research
Assessing the Determinants of Open Defecation Free Communities Based on the Socio-demographic and Economic Status of Household Heads in the Mion District of Northern Region, Ghana
The study was conducted in twenty open defecation free communities of the Mion District in the Northern Region with the objective of assessing the determinants of open defecation free communities based socio- demographic and economic status of household heads correlational analysis. The study design was mainly quantitative and involved 225 respondents. The study found that, 73.4 percent have hand washing facilities for washing their hands after defecating but no soap, 62.2 percent of the respondents indicated had hand washing facilities, water and soap. The correlation analysis shows that there was a relationship between household size and open defecation free communities (p=0.000), age of respondents and open defecation free communities (p=0.000), religion and open defecation free communities (p=0.000) and the presence of water at toilets and open defecation free communities (p=0.017). The relationship between the use of soap and open defecation free communities could not be determined (p=0.050). Eighty-four (21.3%) percent of the respondents indicated that the high cost of constructing toilets was the reason why they had no household toilets. Other factors why toilets were not constructed in homes were lack of technical support (14.7%), waiting for external support (33.3%) and the notion that household toilets were not necessary (30.7%). The study concludes that the determinants of open defecation free communities in the Mion District are age, household size, religion and belief systems, and the presence of water and income of residents. The study recommends that governmental and nongovernmental agencies in water and sanitation must support the aged and the poor to construct household toilets. All agencies supporting water and sanitation must harmonize their activities on community led total sanitation and further education and sensitization is necessary to ensure that communities that attained open defecation free status do not relapse into open defecation.
Assessment of Water Quality of the Nalerigu dam in the East Mamprusi Municipality of the North East Region of Ghana
The study investigated the water quality of the Nalerigu dam and compared to the WHO recommended levels for both physicochemical and bacteriological parameters. There was also a survey of 99 out of 135 household heads who were within 50 meters around the dam to assess their usage of the dam water. The sampled dam water was analysed at the Water Research Institute laboratory in Tamale. The water pH was found to range from 6.30 to 6.50 with a mean temperature range of 30.3 to 30.5 0 C. The turbidity of the water exceeded the WHO limits. Other physicochemical parameters monitored including total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, total hardness, total alkalinity values were within the WHO recommended levels for surface water quality. Results of the bacteriological analysis including faecal coliforms and total coliforms were high. It was concluded that the Nalerigu dam was contaminated and unsafe for human consumption if not treated. The study recommends a further study into metallic concentration of the dam to ensure the quality besides physicochemical and bacteriological parameters of the dam.
