Partnership to construct 150 sanitation facilities and promote healthier learning environments across Ghana
The Ghana Library Authority (GhLA) and Sanitopia CIC have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to construct 150 modern sanitation facilities in public libraries across the country as part of efforts to promote hygiene, literacy, and safe learning spaces for all Ghanaians.
The agreement, signed in Accra, marks a major milestone in Ghana’s push to link education, health, and sanitation in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Speaking at the ceremony, the Director-General of the Ghana Library Authority, Mr. Alhassan Ziblim Betintiche, said access to information, literacy, and a conducive learning environment are fundamental rights that every Ghanaian child and adult deserves.
He noted that the Authority has been deliberate in expanding access to libraries, integrating technology, and improving infrastructure to make knowledge accessible to all.
“We have introduced innovative initiatives designed to bring libraries closer to every citizen. In addition to our 139 learning networks across the country, the Ghana Library App is a zero-rated app available on MTN and Telecel enables readers to access books and learning resources without paying for data charges,” he said.
The Director-General also revealed that the Authority has extended operating hours at selected libraries from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to allow children and families greater access to educational support beyond traditional hours.
He stressed that libraries must go beyond serving as repositories of books to becoming safe, comfortable, and healthy community spaces.
“We are deeply grateful to Sanitopia CIC for partnering with us in a shared vision that recognizes libraries not only as centers for literacy but also as community spaces that safeguard the dignity, health, and well-being of their users,” Mr. Betintiche said.
The Chairman and President of the Board of Trustees of Sanitopia CIC, Mr. Richard Kojo Acheampong, Esq., described the partnership as a “historic step” towards addressing sanitation challenges in learning environments.
He announced that as part of the MoU, Sanitopia will construct 150 sanitation facilities for public libraries and 150 new library facilities across Ghana, as part of a broader plan to build 2,000 toilets nationwide over the next five years.
“This initiative is not merely about infrastructure. It is about health, dignity, and education. It is about giving our children the safe, clean environment they need to learn, grow, and thrive without fear of disease or discomfort,” Mr. Acheampong said.
He emphasized that sanitation is a gateway to achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals, including:
SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) by reducing preventable diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and diarrhoea; and
SDG 5 (Gender Equality) by providing safe and dignified sanitation spaces for women and girls.
Building community-centered sanitation facilities that are affordable, safe, and adaptable to local needs.
Transforming waste into value, converting human waste into biogas and fertilizers to promote environmental sustainability and economic opportunity.
Building local capacity and partnership by training schools, healthcentress, and communities to maintain the facilities.
“No child should have to choose between education and dignity. By joining hands with the Ghana Library Authority, we are not just building toilets we are building the future of Ghana,” he stressed.
Mr. Acheampong called on the Government of Ghana, corporate Ghana, multinational organizations, NGOs, and philanthropists both home and abroad to support the project.
Both institutions reaffirmed their shared commitment to building libraries that promote literacy, protect public health, and foster community development.
The partnership, they noted, reflects a new model of social collaboration that combines education, technology, and sanitation to improve quality of life and ensure every Ghanaian can learn in safety and dignity.
Story by Osman Issah Abadoo
