The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has convened a high-level multi-sectoral engagement workshop at the Palms by Eagles Hotel to advance implementation of the National Open Defecation Free (ODF) and Sanitation Management Services (SMS) Plan.
The forum served as a platform for collective reflection on Ghana’s sanitation challenges and the strategies required to accelerate progress. Deliberations revealed that the nation must construct at least 617,000 toilets annually until 2030 to bridge the existing infrastructure gap and meet its sanitation targets.
In his keynote, Dr. Tsekpetse-Akuamoah Kweku underscored the urgency of coordinated action, noting that open defecation undermines public health, environmental integrity, and national development. He called for cross-sectoral collaboration, stressing that “the fight against open defecation cannot be left to a single ministry or institution.”
Participants highlighted the twin priorities of behavioral change and infrastructure provision. They emphasized the integration of sanitation into education, health delivery, public communication, and community mobilization, alongside investments in durable household and public facilities.
The workshop concluded with a consensus on establishing a national coordination platform, mainstreaming sanitation priorities into development planning, and strengthening monitoring and accountability systems.
These outcomes represent a significant milestone in Ghana’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 6, and reaffirm the nation’s resolve to secure safe, clean, and sustainable sanitation services for all citizens.
SOURCE: STEPHANIE EDEM KLUTSEY
(MLGCRA PR UNIT)