As at 2017, it was noted that 31.2% of the rural population of Ghana practised open defaecation. For the urban population, the figure was 7.5%.  The percentage of the total population as at 2017 engaging in open defaecation was 18.1%.

Open defaecation is a mark of poverty and must be addressed and stopped as it only compounds filth in the environment thus, spreading diseases. Ghana is gearing towards an Open Defaecation Free (ODF) country by 2030 and everybody is being encouraged to come on board the fight to rid the country of all filth.

At a programme to recognize communities and individuals who have played various roles to stop open defaecation in some communities across the country, Nana Kobina Nketia V, Paramount  Chief of Essikado in the Western region and Chairman for the event, said that being poor does not translate into open defaecation. He said that there must be something wrong with the human psychology if he/she does not realise that filth is unhygenic and causes diseases and, therefore, must not be encouraged.

Nana Nketia V said that our norms and traditions teach cleanliness and therefore common sense must tell us that there is fundamentally something wrong with us to continue to dirty our surroundings the way we do.  He said that if we do not get rid of filth, we will not survive as a people. He called for a road map to make Ghana open defaecation free.

The Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Kwasi Adjei-Boateng, informed the gathering that the Ministry had integrated the ODF into its programme so that funds can be allocated to help achieve the goal. He urged the assemblies to enforce the sanitation by-laws without fear or favour and commended the Nandom district for championing and achieving an ODF community.

The Dutch Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Ron Strikker, called for proper enforcement of laws to ensure sanitation in our communities.  He said that financing toilet facilities was not the problem for some households as they could finance the provision of toilets for their household.  He said that the main problem was attitudinal and stressed that people needed to be encouraged to observe sanitation laws.

The Deputy Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Mr Patrick Buamah, who stood in for the Minister, noted that the elimination of open defaecation was a global agenda and required a collective effort. He said that all public institutions and educational insitutions must ensure that toilet facilities are existent in their institutions.  He said that sanitation must be taught in our schools and communication developed in all the main local languages to sensitize everybody if the ODF is to be achieved.