The President of the Southern Ghana Union of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church (SDA), Pastor Thomas Techie Ocran, has assured the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs of the SDA Church’s unwavering support for the upcoming reintroduction of the National Sanitation Day (NSD). He made this known during a high-level engagement with the Minister, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim, who paid a courtesy call on him as part of the Ministry’s stakeholder consultations towards the successful revival of the nationwide cleanup campaign.
In his remarks, Pastor Ocran commended the Ministry’s commitment to strategic planning and emphasized that the success of the NSD initiative lies in deliberate and coordinated execution. “If the Ministry plans and says this is what we will be doing this week, places are allocated to people to do things, equipment is made available, and vehicles are deployed to assist, then we can be sure we will succeed, not just from the SDA point of view, but at a national level,” he said.
While affirming the SDA’s readiness to cooperate with government efforts, Pastor Ocran also clarified the Church’s doctrinal stance regarding work on Saturdays, which are observed as holy. He therefore proposed Sunday as the most appropriate day for the Church’s active participation in sanitation exercises. “We cannot work on Saturday, but we are willing and committed to working on Sunday. As long as you will work with us in that direction, we will work with you,” he stated.
Pastor Ocran further referenced past collaborative efforts with previous administrations, highlighting the Church’s consistent engagement in national development activities. He revealed that his directors had suggested May 1, a public holiday, as a symbolic opportunity to launch the initiative, which could then be followed by broader action on Sunday, May 4.
“We want to assure you that if this is clearly indicated in the planning, our members will understand, and all eyes will be on us to lead by example. We will do our best for the glory of God first and in support of national development,” he emphasized.
Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim expressed his deep appreciation to the leadership of the SDA Church for their openness and commitment to nation-building. He reiterated the Ministry’s inclusive approach to stakeholder engagement and acknowledged the indispensable role of religious institutions in mobilizing communities for sustained national impact.
The reintroduction of the National Sanitation Day forms part of government’s renewed agenda to improve environmental cleanliness, public hygiene, and civic responsibility through community-driven action.
Source: Matilda Tettey/Darling Maame Efua Cann
(Public Relations Unit MLGDRD)