RELAUNCH OF NATIONAL SANITATION DAY

The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim (MP), has announced a renewed directive on sanitation as government prepares for the official relaunch of the National Sanitation Day (NSD) by President John Dramani Mahama on Saturday, September 6, 2025.

Addressing journalists at a press engagement with Members of Parliament and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) from the Greater Accra Region, Hon. Ibrahim said the briefing was to “set the tone, outline expectations, and provide clear directives” ahead of the President’s relaunch of the flagship Clean Up Ghana Agenda.

“This is not business as usual,” the Minister stressed. “All public spaces, ceremonial streets, and visible nuisances within your jurisdiction must be cleared by 8:00 a.m. every day, beginning tomorrow, September 4. Assemblies must sustainably demonstrate that unsightly scenes of filth have been eliminated.”

The Minister outlined three main objectives of the NSD relaunch: restoring discipline and national pride in public spaces, empowering assemblies through sanitation-focused KPIs for MMDCEs, and fostering citizen participation and accountability. He further revealed that 80% of the District Assemblies Common Fund had already been released, giving Assemblies the resources to deliver results.

To strengthen accountability, a dedicated sanitation hotline and a central monitoring dashboard will be introduced to track performance. Assemblies will also be required to submit monthly sanitation reports through their Regional Coordinating Councils.

Hon. John Dumelo (MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon) and Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture spoke on behalf of Members of Parliament in the region. He said the MPs were committed to supporting the President’s renewed sanitation drive because cleanliness was directly tied to the health and wellbeing of their constituents.

On behalf of the MMDCEs, the Dean of MMDCEs and MCE for Ga West, Hon. John Desmond Sowah Nai, pledged the Assemblies’ full commitment. He announced the formation of sanitation task forces and coordinators in every electoral area and disclosed plans to introduce a monthly sanitation calendar involving government agencies and corporate bodies.

The Minister urged the media to partner government in mobilising citizens and sustaining the message. “Sanitation is a shared responsibility. Improved sanitation worldwide is built on the attitude of the people. The media must help us shape that attitude,” he said.

As President Mahama prepares to relaunch the initiative at the Institute of Local Government Studies in Madina on Saturday, Hon. Ibrahim insisted that “the work has already begun.”

“A cleaner Ghana is possible. A healthier Ghana is possible. With leadership, discipline, and citizen action, we can transform the sanitation landscape of this nation,” he concluded.

SOURCE: Darling Maame Efua Cann
(MLGCRA PR UNIT)