By Celestine Avi
President John Dramani Mahama has declared a renewed war on filth, announcing that sanitation will be a key performance indicator for all District Chief Executives (DCEs) under the next NDC administration.
Speaking in Dodowa during his National Thank You Tour, the President unveiled plans to revive the dormant National Sanitation Day with full legal backing, firm enforcement, and direct budgetary support for local assemblies. He said the initiative, once seen as symbolic, will now carry consequences for inaction, especially for local government heads who fail to maintain basic hygiene and cleanliness in their jurisdictions.
Addressing traditional leaders, local government officials, and community stakeholders, President Mahama emphasized that his administration will no longer treat sanitation as an afterthought but as a “critical development issue linked to public health, productivity, and national pride.”
“Sanitation will no longer be just a slogan or a ceremonial day where people sweep the streets for cameras. It will be a serious monthly responsibility, backed by law, logistics, and consequences,” he declared.
According to him, Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) will be held directly accountable for the state of sanitation in their areas. “If an MMDCE is not able to keep their district clean, that DCE has no business being in that office,” he warned.
President Mahama further revealed that the sanitation budget will be decentralized, giving assemblies the resources needed to lead clean-up operations, enforce sanitation by-laws, and engage local communities. He also announced a legal requirement for every household to take charge of the frontage and drains in front of their homes, in line with new community cleanliness regulations.
“Accra is the face of Ghana. If the capital is dirty, it reflects on all of us,” he said. “We will empower local authorities, but we’ll also make sure the laws are enforced.”
President Mahama pledged to provide equipment, protective gear, and logistics to assemblies while encouraging public-private partnerships to support sanitation jobs and waste recycling initiatives.
The revived National Sanitation Day will be observed every first Saturday of the month, with full community mobilization across Ghana’s 16 regions.
The President expressed confidence that, with discipline and collective effort, the initiative will not only improve the country’s hygiene but also restore civic responsibility and national pride.
