Story by, Paul Mensah Nsor
President John Dramani Mahama has launched a new National Sanitation Day program aimed at restoring Ghana's traditional values of cleanliness and community responsibility. Speaking passionately about the initiative, Mahama emphasized the importance of maintaining cultural practices of hygiene and environmental care.
Key highlights of the initiative include:
- A dedicated sanitation hotline for citizens to report public nuisances
- A central dashboard to track municipal performance
- Mandatory monthly reporting by district assemblies
- Emphasis on waste segregation, recycling, and public education
The monthly program, set for the first Saturday of each month, seeks to address Ghana's growing sanitation challenges by engaging citizens at all levels. Key highlights include:
- Introducing a new school curriculum focused on citizenship and cleanliness
- Empowering traditional chiefs to enforce sanitation bylaws
- Creating awards for the cleanest districts
- Implementing nighttime garbage collection to reduce daytime traffic disruptions
Mahama praised youth volunteer groups like the "Bus Stop Boys" and called for more citizens to take responsibility for their community's cleanliness. He stressed that modernization should not mean abandoning core cultural values of tidiness and collective responsibility.
District assemblies will be held accountable, with cleanliness becoming a key performance indicator for local administrators. The president also warned that persistent polluters will face sanctions through new sanitation courts.
The initiative aims to transform Ghana's approach to environmental maintenance, drawing inspiration from clean cities like Singapore and Japan.
The Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim stressed that environmental sanitation is a "shared responsibility" requiring active participation from all Ghanaians, including communities, civil society, private sectors, and media.
Innovative accountability measures will track municipal performance, with assemblies required to submit detailed monthly reports to regional coordinating councils. Traditional leaders, religious organizations, youth, and students are being specifically called upon to drive this transformative national effort.
President's backing and the initiative's comprehensive approach signal a serious commitment to improving Ghana's environmental standards and public health.
The National Sanitation Day represents more than just a cleanup—it's a movement towards building a "cleaner, healthier, and more prosperous Ghana," according to the minister.
