President John Dramani Mahama has officially re-launched the National Sanitation Day (NSD), nearly a decade after the once-vibrant nationwide cleanup
President John Dramani Mahama has officially re-launched the National Sanitation Day (NSD), nearly a decade after the once-vibrant nationwide cleanup campaign lost momentum.
The ceremony, held at the Institute of Local Government Studies in Ogbojo-Madina, marked the beginning of a renewed national push to tackle Ghana’s long-standing sanitation challenges.
The President described environmental sanitation as “fundamental to public health, education, tourism, and sustainable development,” warning that unsanitary conditions have fueled outbreaks of diseases, environmental degradation, and economic setbacks.
He said the reintroduction of the NSD is part of his administration’s broader “Clean Up Ghana” agenda, which seeks to instill discipline, collective responsibility, and community ownership of public spaces.
Background
The National Sanitation Day was first introduced in September 2014 under then-President Mahama, with Julius Debrah, then Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, spearheading its implementation.
The monthly exercise, held on the first Saturday of each month, mobilized communities, civil society, traditional leaders, and local assemblies to desilt gutters, clear refuse, and improve hygiene.
Although it enjoyed strong public participation between 2014 and 2016, the campaign fizzled out due to waning enthusiasm, weak enforcement, and inadequate institutional support.
The re-launch, therefore, represents what officials describe as a “renewed social contract” between government and citizens to confront the menace of filth and restore national pride.
Key Objectives
President Mahama outlined several goals for the revived programme:
Promoting public awareness and shared responsibility for sanitation.
Establishing a culture of routine cleaning across communities.
Enhancing the beauty of cities and towns to boost tourism and national pride.
Reducing sanitation-related diseases such as cholera, malaria, and typhoid.
Creating opportunities for youth entrepreneurship in waste management.
The initiative will also be linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those on health, sustainable cities, clean water, sanitation, and climate action.
Accountability and Enforcement
In a complementary address, Ahmed Ibrahim, Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, stressed that the NSD is not just about clean-up exercises but also about behavioural change, law enforcement, and accountability.
He announced new measures, including:
A dedicated sanitation hotline for citizens to report public health nuisances.
A central monitoring dashboard to track sanitation reports and assembly responses.
Mandatory monthly sanitation reports from assemblies to their Regional Coordinating Councils and the Ministry.
Stringent sanitation indicators in the performance contracts of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs).
These mechanisms, he said, will ensure the exercise is sustained and that assemblies are held responsible for sanitation management.
Broader Environmental Agenda
The President also highlighted complementary programmes such as the Blue Water River Guards, which will recruit 2,000 youth to protect river bodies from illegal mining, and the Tree for Life Restoration initiative, aimed at reforestation and environmental sustainability.
To incentivize participation, government will introduce a “Cleanest City Award” to reward assemblies and districts that maintain high sanitation standards.
A Call for National Unity
Both President Mahama and Minister Ahmed Ibrahim appealed to traditional leaders, religious authorities, the media, civil society, and the youth to actively support the initiative.
“The success of this programme lies in our collective resolve,” President Mahama stated.
“This is not just about cleaning our environment; it is about safeguarding our health, protecting our environment, and leaving a legacy for generations to come.”
The first monthly National Sanitation Day exercise under the renewed campaign is expected to take place across all 16 regions and 261 districts of Ghana on the first Saturday of October 2025.
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