President John Dramani Mahama has called on district assemblies to assist the government in combating open defecation.

Speaking at the launch of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Voluntary National Report, President Mahama cautioned district assemblies against approving building permits for construction plans that omit sanitation facilities.

According to him, all new residential, commercial, and public structures must follow a thorough sanitation and compliance process.

“It is unacceptable that in 2025, open defecation persists in parts of Ghana. This is not just a public health issue; it is a matter of dignity and equity. Our sanitation crisis is not caused by a lack of knowledge, but by gaps in investment, enforcement, and community engagement. We must act decisively to end this practice.

“All district assemblies have in their by-laws that you can’t obtain a building permit without providing sanitation facilities. So, how is it that people are still defecating in the open—what many jokingly refer to as ‘free range’? The most disturbing part is that some say they prefer it because they get ‘air conditioning at their rear end,” he added.

Access to sanitation remains limited in Ghana; more than 57% of the population relies on communal or public toilets, and 18% continue to practice open defecation.

Out of all regions, the Greater Accra Region records 40% access to sanitation facilities, with the Savannah Region still struggling with very low access.

25% of households, or one in every four in Ghana, still practice open defecation, according to the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).

Under the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), the international community is working toward ending open defecation by 2030.

Rural areas report more cases of open defecation, with 39% of households practicing it compared to 12% in urban areas.

Nearly 1.8 billion people globally engage in open defecation as per the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF's findings.

The UN, in 2023, described the country's sanitation situation as dire, calling for a lasting solution.