Poor handling of Public toilet facilities in our market: a health crisis waiting to explode

The poor handling of public toilet facilities in Madina Market and other markets across Ghana is a pressing concern that poses significant health risks to traders, buyers, and visitors.

The situation in Madina Market is dire, with reports describing the toilet facilities as “deplorable” and “inadequate” for the volume of users.

As part of activities marking the 2025 edition of the Ghana WASH Week celebration, members of the Ghana WASH Journalists Network (GWJN), in collaboration with the Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS), embarked on a tour to one of Accra’s busiest commercial centres the Madina Market in Accra to assess and evaluate the state of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities.

The field visit, which took place on Thursday, July 31, 2025, revealed a very troubling health situation faced by traders and shoppers alike. Despite the neatly kept stalls, behind is a sanitation crisis putting lives at risk.

Observations made by members of GWJN during its tour at the Madina Market is that the only public toilet built and operated by the La-Nkwantaman-Madina Municipal Assembly is in a state of disrepair, with inadequate sanitation supplies, including handwashing buckets, which were more readily available during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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.

The only public toilet here is in ruins. Its structure is collapsing, one of the two buildings is out of use, and it’s now serving as a warehouse instead of its original purpose.

The one in use has its septic tank broken, with its fecal matter exposed, thus polluting the air with a heavy stench. The exposed fecal matter has become a playing ground for flies and other insects.

Currently, the only relatively clean toilet facility available is a privately managed one, which is about 500 meters away from where the state-owned dilapidated toilet is located. A trader or shopper will have to pay GH¢3 for regular and GH¢5 for VIP access, fees many market users find unaffordable for daily use.

For now, traders and drivers are forced to live and work in filth and stench daily, despite paying tolls and levies that are not being used to address these unacceptable conditions. Some fruit and vegetable sellers sit close to the exposed fecal matter to ply their trade, even though the situation is causing a health crisis that is waiting to explode.

Speaking in an interview, the Secretary of the Madina Market Trader Association, Madam Eunice Quao, 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.

   Madam Eunice Quao, Secretary, Madina Market Trader Association,

The Secretary of the Madina Market Trader Association 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. We urgently need a functional public toilet and a steady supply of sanitation materials to keep the environment safe and hygienic,” she reiterated.

The lack of toilet facilities extends beyond the market to the adjoining transport station, where similar frustrations have been voiced.

Mr. 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 MCE and the Municipal Assembly to modernize the station, promised improvements, especially sanitation facilities, have not been delivered.

“There is not a single toilet facility within the lorry park, 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 said.

Nii Bonne Arthur 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, he said, 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. We need working toilets, regular cleaning, and access to water for handwashing. This is about health, dignity, and safety,” Mr. Arthur stressed.

WASH conditions at Madina Market reflect a wider national issue, as many markets and transport terminals across Ghana face similar challenges.

Health Risks

The poor sanitation and hygiene conditions in and around the toilet facilities pose significant health risks, including the spread of diseases like cholera, malaria, and other waterborne illnesses.

Economic Impact

The economic burden of treating sanitation-related diseases is substantial, with governments and households spending billions on healthcare for preventable illnesses.

It’s on this note that executives and members of GWJN and CONIWAS are calling on municipal authorities, the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, and private partners to take urgent action to improve sanitation at Madina Market and other public spaces nationwide.

The groups believe that there is a need for better sanitation infrastructure, including functional public toilets, regular cleaning, and access to water for handwashing across the various markets.

By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH