The President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Albert Kwabena Dwumfuor, has pledged the unwavering support of the Ghanaian media in the renewed fight against poor sanitation following the relaunch of the National Sanitation Day and Campaign.

Speaking at the event held on Saturday, 6th September 2025, at the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS), Madina, Mr. Dwumfuor commended the government and the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs for reviving the initiative, describing it as a cause that “strikes at the very core of our nation’s health, dignity, and future.”

He stressed that sanitation is not just a matter of infrastructure but a fundamental human right that impacts health, national pride, and economic productivity. The GJA President called for a comprehensive approach, including investments in sanitation infrastructure, public hygiene education, pragmatic policy enforcement, and active community engagement.

Mr. Dwumfuor emphasized the media’s role as watchdog, educator, and agenda-setter, noting that the GJA and its members will dedicate airtime, print space, and digital platforms to public education on waste management, sanitation bylaws, and positive examples. “We will stand solidly behind the National Sanitation Day campaign, sustain public education, and ensure the message of cleanliness reaches every household and community,” he said.

He further urged government to demonstrate sustained political will, calling for monthly engagements between the Ministry and the media to track progress and ensure accountability. “Together, we failed in the past to win the war against sanitation; we cannot fail this time,” he added.

The GJA President concluded with a call for shared responsibility, stating that achieving a clean Ghana will require consistency, discipline, and unity among citizens, assemblies, the private sector, traditional authorities, religious leaders, and the state.

SOURCE: Darling Maame Efua Cann

(MLGCRA PR UNIT)

The reintroduced National Sanitation Day (NSD) is a renewed social contract between government and citizens to restore cleanliness, discipline and dignity to communities, the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has said.

Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim made the call on Saturday, 6th September 2025 at the official launch of the initiative held at the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS), Madina. He explained that the exercise will be observed on the first Saturday of every month across all 16 regions and 261 districts, and will go beyond clean-up activities to include waste segregation, recycling, public education and strict enforcement of sanitation bye-laws.

The Minister noted that the renewed NSD is anchored on three objectives: restoring discipline and pride in public spaces as a necessity for health and national dignity; empowering local government structures by making sanitation a key performance indicator (KPI) for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs); and fostering citizen participation and accountability.

He further disclosed that new accountability measures will be rolled out, including a dedicated sanitation hotline for citizens to report public nuisances, a central dashboard to monitor assembly performance, and mandatory monthly sanitation reports from assemblies to Regional Coordinating Councils and the Ministry.

Calling on traditional and religious leaders to mobilise their communities, Hon. Ibrahim also challenged the youth to bring their energy and innovation to the exercise, while urging the media to sustain public education and highlight positive sanitation practices.

He commended President John Dramani Mahama for his leadership in championing environmental sanitation and stressed that the success of the reintroduced NSD would depend on collective action from households, civil society, the private sector and every Ghanaian.

“The National Sanitation Day is a clarion call to all Ghanaians in a united front against unsanitary conditions. Together, we can build a cleaner, healthier and more prosperous Ghana,” he said.

SOURCE: Darling Maame Efua Cann

(MLGCRA PR UNIT)

On Saturday, 6th September 2025, the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, officially launched the re-introduction of the National Sanitation Day at the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS), Ogbojo–Madina, urging Ghanaians to unite in keeping the nation clean.

The initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, is part of the broader “Clean Up Ghana” agenda aimed at tackling unsanitary conditions, reducing disease outbreaks, and improving the quality of life of citizens. The exercise will be observed nationwide on the first Saturday of every month.

In his address, President Mahama underscored the importance of sanitation to public health, education, tourism, and socio-economic development. He said while some progress had been made, poor waste management continued to undermine Ghana’s development, making it urgent for citizens to act collectively. “The National Sanitation Day is a call to action; an opportunity for each of us, regardless of political affiliation, social standing, ethnicity, or religious beliefs, to unite in keeping our surroundings clean,” he stated.

He recalled the success of the earlier National Sanitation Day held between 2014 and 2016, which mobilised communities across the country to desilt drains, clear refuse and reclaim public spaces. The President emphasised that the revived exercise would help safeguard public health, improve hygiene, enhance the aesthetic beauty of towns and cities, promote national pride and identity, and attract tourism and investment.

To complement the monthly clean-up exercise, government has rolled out supporting initiatives. These include the Blue Water River Guards, which will engage 2,000 youth to protect water bodies and combat illegal mining, and the Tree for Life Restoration project, which will promote afforestation and create sustainable youth employment. He also announced plans to upgrade Environmental Health and Sanitation Units at the local government level into fully resourced departments, and to introduce a Cleanest City Award as an incentive for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to maintain higher standards of cleanliness. In addition, a new performance assessment framework for MMDCEs will incorporate strict sanitation indicators to ensure assemblies give proper attention to waste management.

President Mahama appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders, schools, businesses, civil society, and especially the media, to use their platforms to raise awareness and mobilise support for the initiative. He stressed that the long-term success of the National Sanitation Day would depend on broad-based participation across all sectors of society.

As part of the launch on September 6, 2025, the President presented sanitation tools and implements to the volunteer group Buzstop Boys, acknowledging their grassroots efforts and encouraging Ghanaian youth to emulate their spirit of service and innovation in waste management.

Declaring the National Sanitation Day duly launched, President Mahama urged all citizens to rekindle the spirit of communal labour and make environmental responsibility a hallmark of national identity.

SOURCE: Darling Maame Efua Cann

(MLGCRA PR UNIT)