The Minister for Local Government, Sanitation and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has announced a new initiative aimed at holding Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) accountable for their performance in managing sanitation.
At a press briefing held in Accra on Monday, April 7 the Minister unveiled plans to implement a comprehensive sanitation league table that will assess and rank the performance of MMDAs across Ghana on a monthly basis.
The new framework, according to the Minister, is intended not only to encourage healthy competition among local authorities but also to introduce strict accountability measures for District Chief Executives (DCEs) and Metropolitan/Municipal Chief Executives (MCEs) who fail to meet performance benchmarks.
The Minister said the sanitation league, which will operate at national, regional, and district levels, is designed to bring renewed focus and urgency to waste management, cleanliness, and public hygiene.
“There will be a national, district sanitation league and a regional sanitation league. We are not going to joke with the sanitation issue and it is going to be a kind of competition. If you are last this time and next month too you are last, next two months you are last, then you can imagine whether you are fit for purpose or you don’t fit to be there.
“And it is not just going to be naming and shaming. We are all going to be at work. We must all put our hands on deck.”
Ghana continues to grapple with sanitation problems, especially in densely populated urban areas. Issues such as open defecation, uncollected waste, clogged gutters, and poor drainage infrastructure have contributed to the spread of diseases and have tarnished the country’s image in various global assessments.
Despite various interventions, including the National Sanitation Day initiative and the provision of waste bins and sanitation facilities, progress has been slow in many regions due to limited enforcement, lack of public participation, and institutional inefficiencies.
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