Fear and Panic Grip Mallam Residents Over Deadly Abandoned Public Toilet Manhole
Residents of Mallam a community within the Weija Gbawe Municipality in the Greater Accra Region are living in fear and panic over an abandoned public toilet manhole that has now become a deadly trap in the area.
The manhole which belongs to a private individual has been left uncovered for months. In addition the entrance to the toilet facility has no doors making it easy for anyone especially children to access the dangerous site.
The public toilet is situated along the Bolla Road just about 50 meters away from the Agape Basic School putting the lives of school children and other residents at constant risk.
When Mr. Woode a renowned blogger and content creator contacted the Assembly Member for the area, Mr. Derick Kusi Nyametease, he confirmed that the public toilet was closed down by sanitation authorities from the Weija Gbawe Municipal Assembly.
According to Mr. Nyametease the facility was shut after the manhole became full and the operators started discharging wastewater into the street gutters which posed a serious health risk and contributed to the spread of diseases in the community.
He revealed that since its closure the owner of the facility has gone into hiding leaving the manhole uncovered and unattended.
Tragically, the abandoned manhole recently claimed the life of a young child. On Saturday, 28th June 2025, a five-year-old girl accidentally fell into the uncovered manhole. Eyewitnesses say that people nearby rushed to rescue her and quickly sent her to the Akawa Government Hospital for treatment but sadly she did not survive.
The incident has since been reported to the Lafa Police Station at Mallam for further investigation.
Residents are now calling on the Weija Gbawe Municipal Assembly and other relevant authorities to urgently secure the abandoned facility to prevent further loss of lives. Many fear that if nothing is done, more innocent children could fall victim to the open manhole.
Community members are also appealing to the assembly to trace the owner of the toilet facility and compel them to take responsibility for the safety hazard they have created.