The Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has acknowledged major gaps in Accra’s sanitation system and pledged urgent support to city authorities to address them.
Speaking during the maiden National Sanitation Day clean-up exercise in Accra on Saturday October 4, he noted the absence of dustbins, containers, and compactor trucks, which he said was undermining efforts to manage waste effectively.
Ibrahim Ahmed observed that some assemblies were resorting to using tipper trucks to cart refuse, describing the practice as “unprofessional.”
“As sector minister, I will take it up and ensure the cities get at least a few compacters to be able to fight and fix the sanitation situation,” he assured.
The Minister led the exercise together with the Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, and the Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II and said the initiative had been successful despite some challenges.
He urged the Mayors of Accra Metropolitan and Korle Klottey to sustain the momentum.
Ibrahim also highlighted poor street lighting as a major hindrance to effective cleaning at dawn and at night, practices he said are standard in cities across the world.
He disclosed that his ministry is working with the Ministries of Energy and Roads to fix streetlights and complete road construction in the 16 regional capitals to support sanitation operations.
The Minister reaffirmed government’s commitment to making sanitation a priority and assured that continuous support will be given to metropolitan authorities to sustain the campaign.
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