GOVERNMENT RELAUNCHES NATIONAL SANITATION DAY

President Mahama officially re-introduced National Sanitation Day (NSD) at an event held on Saturday, September 6, 2025, at the Institute of Local Government Studies in Madina, near Accra . Going forward, NSD will be observed on the first Saturday of every month, beginning October 2025 .

Key Goals & Strategy

President Mahama emphasized the initiative’s broader ambitions, which include:

• Fostering community participation in keeping Ghana clean.
• Reducing disease outbreaks by improving hygiene and sanitation.
• Beautifying towns and cities, enhancing civic pride and potentially boosting tourism.
• Aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as health, sanitation, sustainable cities, and environmental conservation .

He underscored that this is more than a cleanup activity—it’s a movement for environmental responsibility and long-term civic culture .

Governance & Enforcement Measures

A few structural changes were introduced:

Sanitation as a KPI: Sanitation performance will now be a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), encouraging accountability across Ghana .

Empowered Traditional Authorities: President Mahama proposed amending Chapter 22 of the 1992 Constitution to reinstate some authority for chiefs, including the establishment of sanitation courts. These courts—potentially hosted at the chief’s palace—would handle persistent offenders in collaboration with district assemblies .

Direct funding to local assemblies: Previously, over 50% of the District Assemblies’ Common Fund was spent in Accra rather than reaching the districts. Now, 80% of the funds will go directly to the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), meaning they “have the resources” and no excuse for inaction .

Rewards for performance: The government plans to award the best-performing districts and traditional areas, incentivizing excellence and healthy competition .

Community Support & Resources

At the launch event, President Mahama also showed tangible support for civil society involvement:

He donated sanitation equipment—including 200 wheelbarrows, 300 pairs of gloves, 300 brooms, and other tools—to the BuzStop Boys, a grassroots sanitation group actively engaged in clean-up initiatives around Accra.