The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has issued a stern warning to all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to step up efforts to improve sanitation in their respective communities.
As part of this directive, he has announced a one-week nationwide clean-up exercise scheduled from Saturday, December 13 to December 20, stressing that he and his team will carry out unannounced inspections to hold local leaders personally accountable for filth.
The move forms part of a broader national effort to ensure a clean and welcoming Ghana ahead of the Christmas and New Year festive season, a period that typically records a significant influx of diaspora visitors.
Mr Ibrahim delivered the message during an unannounced inspection tour of several municipalities in the Greater Accra Region, including Ayawaso West Wuogon, La Nkwatanang, Madina and Adentan.
He underscored that the role of an MMDCE is one of service, not privilege, and insisted that the trust reposed in them by President John Dramani Mahama must be justified through visible results.
“So if you are an MDA or MMCE, President Mahama did not appoint you to come and sit there and disburse the Common Fund. He gave you a job. Leadership is about service. Let that service be performed. Our responsibility is supervision, and we are going to intensify it,” he stated.
The minister further announced that sanitation workers, including ‘borla taxis’, sweepers and waste collection trucks, will be fully deployed nationwide from Monday, signalling a determined government effort to tackle waste accumulation.
“On Monday, the borla taxis will be at work, the sweepers, those that are functional, will be at work. The trucks will be at work,” he said.
To ensure the success of the seven-day exercise, Mr Ibrahim hinted at the formation of a multi-sectoral task force, bringing together key ministries to elevate the clean-up drive into a public health and national responsibility.
“We are all going to the drawing board, together with my colleagues. So we will bring in Transport, Health and Interior to be part of the ministry. These seven days, at least, we must make sure Ghana is clean for the festive season, so that our brothers and sisters who will be coming from foreign countries will have a good impression of Ghana,” he explained.
The involvement of the Interior Ministry suggests that sanitation laws, which carry penalties including fines or imprisonment, will be strictly enforced throughout the campaign period. President Mahama has previously reintroduced the National Sanitation Day, with a clear directive that MMDCEs will be held directly responsible for sanitation outcomes in their districts.
The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, who accompanied the delegation, stressed the economic importance of sanitation, noting that a clean environment enhances Ghana’s image and boosts tourism.
She added that maintaining a clean environment makes it easier to market the country and leaves a lasting positive impression on visitors.
Mr Ibrahim concluded by reiterating that his ministry’s unannounced inspections across all 261 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies will mark “the end of the era of pretence,” replacing ceremonial clean-ups with sustained action and measurable results from every MMDCE.
