File photo

Eight people have been fined by the Elmina Magistrate Court for engaging in open defecation.

The eight, all adults between the ages of 30 and 50, are to pay Ghc400 each to government or risk a prison sentence.

Ghc100 of the Ghc400 will go to the local assembly while Ghc300 will be paid to the court.

The eight made up of six males and two females were arrested by the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem Municipal assembly sanitation guards at the Elmina beach.

The move, according to the municipal sanitation officer Mr. Alex Damtey, will help prevent a potential outbreak as the area was not spared in the recent cholera outbreaks in the region.

He described open defecation as a security threat to the nation which must be fought with the needed attention.

In an interview with Starr News’ Central Regional Correspondent Kwaku Baah-Acheamfour, Mr. Damtey explained that disease outbreak associated with poor sanitation practices, including open defecation could ultimately lead to deaths thereby causing the country to lose potential human resource needed in developing the country.