The maiden National Sanitation Day cleanup exercise, following the recent relaunch of the initiative, has been held nationwide, with Accra serving as the symbolic centre of the campaign.

The exercise brought together government officials, traditional leaders, and citizens in a unified demonstration of civic duty and environmental consciousness.

In Accra, the cleanup was jointly led by the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim; the Ga Mantse, His Royal Majesty King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II; the Mayor of Accra, Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey; the Municipal Chief Executives of Ablekuma Central and Korle Klottey; the Sempe Mantse; and the Wolomei of the Ga Traditional Area.

The inspection team began its tour from the premises of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), moving through Tudu, Kantamanto, Agbogbloshie, Abbossey Okai, and finally the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, observing strong participation from residents, traders, and transport operators.

Across all Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs), similar exercises were held simultaneously, with community members mobilised to clean their surroundings as part of government’s broader effort to promote a culture of environmental responsibility.

Following the exercise, the Ministry announced that the first Saturday of every month will officially be observed as National Sanitation Day, during which all shops and markets are to remain closed between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. to allow citizens to participate fully.

> “A clean nation is a healthy nation, and a healthy nation drives economic growth,” said Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim.

The initiative underscores government’s renewed commitment to a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable Ghana.

Source: Darling Maame Efua Cann
MLGCRA Public Relations Unit

The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim, has called for stronger and more efficient mechanisms in resolving chieftaincy disputes, warning that unresolved conflicts threaten peace, stability, and development.

He made the call in Ho, when he officially opened a two-day capacity building workshop for Judicial Committees of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs. The programme, held at the Regional House of Chiefs Conference Hall, brought together traditional leaders, registrars, committee members, and stakeholders to sharpen skills in adjudicating disputes and strengthening the chieftaincy institution.

Hon. Ibrahim underscored the critical role of Judicial Committees in upholding fairness, preserving dignity, and safeguarding harmony in traditional leadership. He stressed that when left unresolved, disputes have the potential to disrupt lives, destabilize communities, and derail development projects.

“The Judicial Committees must be empowered with the knowledge and tools to deliver justice efficiently and effectively. A credible and respected dispute resolution process is key to peace and progress in our communities,” he said.

The Minister reaffirmed government’s commitment to supporting traditional leadership through ongoing reforms and policy initiatives aimed at strengthening decentralisation and deepening the role of chiefs in national development.

He commended the Volta Regional Minister, Hon. James Gunu, the leadership of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, and other stakeholders for making the workshop possible, and urged participants to take full advantage of the opportunity to learn and share experiences.

The two-day workshop is expected to serve as a platform for knowledge exchange, capacity building, and collaboration towards promoting peace, stability, and sustainable development in the Volta Region and across the country.

SOURCE: STEPHANIE EDEM KLUTSEY

(MLGCRA PR UNIT)

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)