President John Dramani Mahama has relaunched the National Sanitation Day, urging Ghanaians from all walks of life to unite in building a culture of cleanliness and environmental responsibility.
Speaking at the official launch held at the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS), Ogbojo-Madina, the President said the initiative forms part of the government’s broader ‘Clean Up Ghana’ agenda to improve public health, boost tourism, and promote sustainable development.
He described environmental sanitation as fundamental to public health, education, tourism and socio-economic development. He stressed that unsanitary conditions continue to threaten the well-being of citizens, despite improvements in service delivery.
“It is, therefore, incumbent upon us to prioritise and address these issues with untiring resolve through a coordinated, sustained and collective effort,” he stated.
The re-introduced National Sanitation Day will be observed on the first Saturday of every month, beginning in October.
The day, Mr. Mahama said, signifies the importance of community ownership and collective responsibility in maintaining a healthy environment and urged Ghanaians to come out in their numbers to clean their surroundings, desilt the gutters and weed out unkempt public spaces.
He added that the 2014–2016 edition of the programme proved the immense potential of citizen-led efforts in improving sanitation.
“I am fully convinced that the National Sanitation Day will in no small way contribute to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those prioritising health, clean water and sanitation, and sustainable cities,” he said.
The President underscored the potential of the sanitation sector to generate jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities for young people. He urged young Ghanaians to take an active interest in developing innovations around waste management, stressing that with the right support, this sector can be transformed into a viable economic venture.
President Mahama also highlighted other environmental initiatives, including the Blue Water River Guards Programme, which will train 2,000 youth to protect water bodies from illegal mining, and the Tree for Life Restoration Initiative, which will engage young people in planting cocoa, palm, timber, and rubber to restore degraded forests.
“These projects will not only protect our environment but also create sustainable employment,” he explained.
The President revealed that Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) will now be assessed based on sanitation indicators. And to further sustain the programme, he announced the introduction of a “Cleanest City Award”, an incentive scheme to encourage healthy competition among districts and municipalities.
President Mahama appealed to traditional leaders, religious institutions, NGOs, businesses, schools, and the media to rally behind the initiative and urged chiefs and religious leaders to use their influence to inspire participation, stressing
