Ghana’s public toilets: The crisis beneath the surface
FROM the discovery of the remains of a deceased baby and suspected talismans to discarded menstrual pads, plastics and other solid waste, vacuum truck operators say the contents of public toilets reveal a sanitation problem that goes far beyond what users see.
Every day, thousands of people use public toilets without giving much thought to what happens after they flush or to the people who eventually have to empty the pits and transport the waste for disposal.
For Osman Hamdaway, a vacuum truck operator with Sewerage System Ghana Limited in Tamale, the contents of public toilets sometimes reveal a disturbing side of human behaviour and the difficult conditions under which sanitation workers perform their duties.
During a ride-along with Hamdaway, I had a first-hand experience of his work, which involves driving vacuum trucks to public toilet facilities, emptying accumulated faecal waste and transporting it for disposal.
It is an occupation that exposes him to human waste, unpleasant odours and potentially hazardous materials that most people would rather avoid.
But what he and his colleagues sometimes encounter inside public toilet pits goes beyond the ordinary challenges of their occupation.
Some of the discoveries, he says, have been particularly disturbing, including what he described as the remains of a deceased baby and objects he suspected to be talismans.
Hamdaway also recounts instances in which he has discovered discarded sanitary materials, plastic containers, papers and other objects thrown into toilet pits.
According to him, one of the recurring problems confronting vacuum truck operators is the disposal of materials that should never find their way into public toilets.
Menstrual pads, plastics, containers, papers and other solid waste are among the items operators encounter when emptying toilet facilities.
He says some female users, particularly those concerned about contracting infections from public toilet seats, reportedly defecate into polythene bags before disposing of them in toilet pits.
While such practices may be motivated by concerns about personal hygiene, the resulting waste creates additional difficulties for sanitation workers and the equipment used to empty the facilities.
The operator, who has been in the job for five years, says the problem is not simply the volume of human waste but the presence of solid materials that can obstruct suction systems and interfere with the operation of vacuum trucks.
For operators whose work depends on properly functioning equipment, these materials can turn a routine emptying exercise into a difficult operation.
“Our job as vacuum truck operators is not simply about removing waste from public facilities. It involves constant exposure to potentially hazardous substances and unexpected materials,” he explains.
He says operators have, on some occasions, encountered what they believed to be the remains of a deceased baby inside toilet pits. He also speaks of discovering objects suspected to be talismans, among other unusual materials.
Beyond the unpleasant working environment, inappropriate materials can damage equipment, cause blockages and increase the time and difficulty involved in emptying public toilets.
The women’s perspective
The frustration is also shared by public toilet attendants, who witness what users bring into the facilities.
A toilet attendant at Moshie Zongo in Tamale said the continued disposal of unwanted materials had become so frustrating that he sometimes wished women could be searched before entering the facilities to prevent them from dumping such materials into the toilet pits.
Although the comment reflects the frustration of workers who have to deal with the consequences of inappropriate waste disposal, searching women before they use public toilets would raise serious concerns about privacy, dignity and personal rights.
A more practical response lies in providing adequate waste-disposal facilities, improving public education and strengthening the management of public toilets.
For some women who depend on public toilets, the disposal of menstrual hygiene products presents another challenge.
Najat, a public toilet user in Tamale, says concerns about the cleanliness of public toilets and the possibility of contracting infections influence how some women use the facilities.
She also explains that the belief that used sanitary pads could be taken and used for spiritual purposes influences how some women handle and dispose of menstrual waste.
This introduces another dimension to the sanitation challenge, one that requires sensitivity and an understanding of the experiences of women who depend on shared toilet facilities.
The solution cannot simply be to condemn women for inappropriate disposal practices. Public toilet facilities must provide suitable, covered disposal bins and ensure regular collection so that menstrual products can be discarded safely, privately and with dignity.
Assembly considers measures
The Director of the Waste Management Department of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, Wiafe Akenten Oduro, has also expressed concern about the sanitation challenges associated with the inappropriate disposal of solid materials in public toilets.
He indicated that the Assembly was considering measures to address the problem, including discussions towards improving the provision of appropriate disposal facilities for menstrual hygiene products and other solid waste.
The proposed approach recognises that effective public toilet management requires more than the construction of facilities. It also involves ensuring that users have suitable places to dispose of materials that should not enter toilet pits.
Providing appropriate disposal bins, ensuring their regular emptying and educating users about materials that should not be flushed could help reduce blockages and make the work of vacuum truck operators safer and more efficient.
A wider sanitation challenge
Ghana’s sanitation challenges extend well beyond the experiences of vacuum truck operators.
The 2021 Population and Housing Census by the Ghana Statistical Service found that 59.3 per cent of households had access to a household toilet facility, while 17.7 per cent had no toilet facility.
The report also indicated that approximately 23 per cent of households relied on public toilets.
The figures highlight the importance of public sanitation infrastructure, particularly in urban communities where many residents depend on shared facilities. They also raise questions about the maintenance, management and long-term sustainability of these facilities.
When public toilets are poorly maintained, inadequately equipped or used as dumping grounds for solid waste, the consequences extend beyond inconvenience to users. They affect sanitation workers, the environment and public health.
Vacuum truck operators perform an important public health function, yet their working conditions and experiences rarely feature in conversations about sanitation.
They remove accumulated waste, help prevent overflowing toilet pits and ensure that human waste is transported away from densely populated communities. However, their work exposes them to unpleasant and potentially dangerous conditions.
Their experiences raise important questions about occupational safety, protective equipment, access to washing facilities, proper waste-disposal systems and the recognition of sanitation workers.
It is not enough to construct public toilets and charge users for access. The entire sanitation chain, from toilet use and pit emptying to transportation and final treatment of waste, must function effectively.
Sanitation and gender equality
The issues raised by Hamdaway’s experiences take on added significance as the world prepares to mark World Toilet Day on November 19.
The 2026 observance is centred on sanitation and gender equality, under the campaign message, “Safe toilets. Equal futures.”
The United Nations, through UN-Water, is drawing attention to how safe and secure sanitation facilities, alongside access to water, soap and menstrual hygiene services, protect the health, safety and dignity of women and girls.
Globally, approximately 3.4 billion people still lack safely managed sanitation services, according to UN-Water.
The campaign recognises that sanitation is not simply about having a place to relieve oneself. It is about having facilities that are safe, private, accessible, properly maintained and supported by effective waste management systems.
For women and girls, this also means access to appropriate menstrual hygiene facilities and safe disposal options.
The experiences of vacuum truck operators offer another perspective to this year’s conversation. While much attention is given to the people using toilets, those responsible for managing the waste generated by these facilities must also be considered.
Public toilet users must understand that toilets are not dumping grounds for every material they no longer need. Menstrual pads, plastics, papers and other solid materials should be disposed of in designated bins.
Public toilet operators must provide appropriate disposal facilities, while local authorities and sanitation companies must ensure regular maintenance, safe emptying and proper treatment of waste.
Sanitation workers also deserve better recognition, protective equipment and working conditions that safeguard their health and dignity.
For Hamdaway and his colleagues, their work may be unpleasant, but it remains essential to public health and environmental protection.
As Ghana joins the rest of the world to mark World Toilet Day, the conversation should go beyond constructing more toilets and encouraging people to use them. It should also address what people put into those toilets, how the waste is managed and the people who bear the consequences of irresponsible disposal.
The toilet may be where we leave our waste, but it must never become a place where we abandon our responsibility to one another.
BY GEOFFREY BUTA
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