Just when things seem to assume some form of normalcy, you suddenly hear of some bizarre event happening right under your nose. So apparently, residents of Ampabame No. 1 in the Ashanti Region will be unable to utilize a new 32-seater toilet facility because a river god has required the sacrifice of five human beings before it can be commissioned.
One may ask why, but the answers can be anything from religion being the opium to some powerful people not wanting the facility to be used at all for reasons of water hygiene among other things. Steering away from guessing games and speculations, a priestess who serves the Tano gods—guardians of the Bomofia stream—told Nhyira FM that the gods are irate because locals are dumping trash into the stream, thus, will not allow for that facility to be used until their demands of human sacrifice are met.
Salt to Injury
The Ampabame community self-help toilet project was launched in the Ashanti area of Atwima Kwanwoma in 2005. Due to financial limitations, it was finished 15 years later. As though the hustle to complete the facility was not enough, people feared using the facility after it was done.
According to the Assembly Member for the Area, Richard Ofosuhene, there was an earlier commissioning of the facility but since the gods demand human sacrifices, the place has been locked up.
The Tano shrine is within walking distance of the 32-seat restroom facility, which is located beside the Bomofia stream. The amount of garbage in the heavily polluted Bomofia stream makes it appear choked.
It is quite clear from this why the gods would not want a toilet facility in that area. I mean, why add salt to injury when you can just leave the injury to be?
Are the gods to Blame?
Chief Kojo Acheampong, the chairman of the unit committee, expressed concern that although the Bomofia stream is used by most inhabitants for their household tasks, obstinate residents continue to pollute it.
After what seemed like an hour of discussions with the gods, a priestess of the Tano gods informed our press team that the facility cannot be used without the necessary human sacrifice.
I’m guessing the gods do not like filth. It is sometimes surprising how some people behave at times. How do you habitually dump rubbish in a stream that is a source of water for other people?
Admittedly, the demand for human sacrifices is supposedly to keep the facility closed to reduce pollution, and by far, the gods have succeeded at that. You cannot blame someone for trying to protect their own backyard.
Water Sanitation Crisis
While Ghana has achieved significant progress in the area of water delivery, there are still significant gaps in the procedures for changing people’s behaviour in terms of sanitation and hygiene, according to World Vision International.
Ghana has achieved 89 percent access to potable water, but just 15 percent have access to better sanitation. This is very bad, judging by the status of Ghana on the international front. Mining activities and improper disposal of waste among other things have gotten us to where we are now.
Some years ago, the NPP government had to declare war on illegal mining activities because their activities were destroying water bodies, making it ever more difficult for water processing companies in the country to provide clean water to the people of Ghana as the dirty waters meant they had to spend more resources to process water, while at the same time, the amount of water purified reduced drastically.
Now, for a government to have to force people with the military and the police to stop polluting rivers that they use themselves, tells a lot about the kind of people that we are as Ghanaians. It was not surprising how the government told us to fix our attitudes.
What is Your Verdict?
Let us leave this one open. Do you think the gods have a valid case for making such demands before the toilet facility can be opened for use? Granted, human sacrifice is outmoded but what seed do you pick from the request of the gods and what do you think their motive is?
Adam Ibrahim
Adam is passionate about politics and issues that affect governance. As a writer, he channels his energies into writing on pertinent national and political issues for the good of the Ghanaian people.
I read about this story on joy news. I was surprised to hear that the assembly man said they will do the needful. What does he mean by that?
I think beyond the sacrifice request, the priest or the gods do not want the people to use the public toilet ironically placed few meters away from the shrine
It is quite surprising why they sited a toilet facility near a river that they claim is already polluted. Was it to make more filth? Some of these planners should really do research before they site buildings just anywhere.
On the issue of the human sacrifices, however, I doubt the gods really need anything like that. I’m sure they just want to scare people away from using the facility. I agree with you 100%