Abstract:
Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) is critical in communities’ health, survival,
and development. The purpose of this study was to find out factors influencing limited
achievement of CLTS implementation in the Central Region. The study adopted the
qualitative phenomenological survey design with 10 facilitators, 40 household heads
and five verification officers. A researcher generated interview guide was used for data
collection. Using content analysis, the study revealed a total of 18 themes as:
Knowledge about CLTS implementation process and conduct of facilitators during
implementation, project time frame being too short, Cultural beliefs and norms,
financial challenges, Unfavourable soil conditions and Socio-economic and
demographic factors. Furthermore, the interview revealed that, the project communities
and facilitators have some appreciable level of knowledge about the importance of the
CLTS project and the implementation process. Also, natural leaders want to be paid for
organising the community members to eliminate open defecation (OD). The key
challenges to the success of the CLTS project were: limitation in project time frame;
issues about political parties, beliefs, traditions and norms, recognition and award for
open defecation free (ODF) communities, logistical constrained and funds and lack of
commitment from the District Assemblies. The limited success of CLTS, challenges
the Central Region’s effort at meeting Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.2.
However, appropriate coordination is needed to align the various CLTS projects to the
same implementation modalities. In addition, District Assemblies are encouraged to
own the CLTS project, invest into the project and equip the Environmental Health
Officers to carry out the implementation according to planned
