Residents of Ampabame no-1 in the Ashanti Region cannot use a new 32-seater toilet facility because a river deity says its commissioning will need human sacrifice.
A priestess serving the Tano gods, guardians of the Bomofia stream, close to the facility, told Nhyira FM the gods are angry with residents’ constant dumping of waste disposal into the stream.
She also says the gods are unhappy with the siting of septic tank to the facility and will demand five lives if the toilet is to be made operational.
The Ampabame community self-help toilet project was started in 2005 in the Atwima Kwanwoma district of the Ashanti Region.
It was completed 15 years later due to financial constraints.
Assembly member for the Area, Richard Ofosuhene, said after commissioning of the project, patronage was low due to the shrine’s demand for human sacrifice and had to be locked up.
The 32-seater toilet facility sits close to the Bomofia stream and a walking distance to the Tano shrine.
The highly polluted Bomofia stream looks choked due to the volume of waste in it.
Chief Kojo Acheampong is the Unit-Committee chairman.
Priestess of the Tano gods, after what looked like an hour of consultations with the gods, told our news team, the facility cannot be operational without human sacrifice.
The declaration is scaring people away from patronising the facility.
The Assembly member says he will work with some elders of the community to perform the necessary rituals.
The 32-seater facility will be the second public toilet in the town to serve the larger population if commissioned.