The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs (MLGCRA) has officially distributed sanitation and cleaning equipment to all 29 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the Greater Accra Region.
The initiative is part of a wider national strategy aimed at improving environmental hygiene, preventing disease outbreaks, and strengthening community resilience through a decentralised governance framework.
Items supplied to the assemblies include 550 waste bins, 970 rakes, 1,000 shovels, 1,600 pairs of gloves, 120 Wellington boots, 1,000 long brooms and 100 wheelbarrows.
Speaking at the event, the Deputy Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Madam Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, explained that the tools were carefully selected to meet practical needs at the district level, supporting both routine sanitation operations and emergency response efforts.
She noted that the equipment would enhance the effectiveness of the monthly clean-up exercises under the National Sanitation Day initiative, improve the work of environmental health officers, and contribute to healthier and cleaner communities across the region.
“The success of the intervention depends on how responsibly the tools are used,” Madam Sowah stressed.
She described environmental sanitation as a critical foundation for public health, urban resilience and sustainable development, pointing out that Ghana continues to battle challenges such as indiscriminate waste disposal, flooding, cholera outbreaks and environmental degradation.
According to her, government’s renewed commitment to sanitation is reflected in key measures including the reintroduction and institutionalisation of the National Sanitation Day, the provision of dedicated sanitation resources, and the continued strengthening of MMDAs to effectively carry out their responsibilities.
Madam Sowah urged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to provide strong leadership and supervision, and to ensure that Coordinating Directors enforce proper asset management and accountability systems.
She further emphasised that the tools must be properly recorded, secured and used strictly for their intended purposes in order to justify government’s investment and confidence in local authorities.
She also appealed to all stakeholders to support the national sanitation agenda, encourage behavioural change, and help nurture a culture of cleanliness and environmental responsibility.
In his remarks, the Municipal Chief Executive of the Ga West Municipal Assembly, John Desmond Sowah Nai, said the MMDCEs were honoured to receive the equipment in support of sanitation activities.
He recalled that about a year ago, the assemblies collectively partnered with the Ministry and the President to relaunch the National Sanitation Day, acknowledging the President’s strong commitment and vision to make Ghana a model nation in cleanliness.
Mr Nai, who also serves as the Dean of MMDCEs in the Greater Accra Region, reaffirmed their shared understanding that, “when Accra is dirty, Ghana is perceived as dirty.”
“For this reason, we are determined to make effective use of these tools to help keep our communities clean and improve sanitation across the city and the country at large. We hereby commit ourselves to this call and assure you that the tools received will be used responsibly and for the intended purpose,” he stressed.
He further appealed for increased sanitation funding to enable interventions to be implemented more effectively and sustainably.
Source: GNA
