Story by George Yawson VINEH
The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim, has called on Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to make effective use of their Internally Generated Funds (IGF), including property rates, to recruit sanitation workers and improve waste management across their jurisdictions.
The minister made the call during an unannounced monitoring tour of the Korle Klottey and La Dade-Kotopon municipalities as activities marking National Sanitation Week came to an end.
Mr. Ibrahim stressed that assemblies must take greater ownership of sanitation challenges, noting that reliance solely on central government support was no longer sustainable. According to him, funds generated locally should be strategically deployed to employ sanitation personnel, procure equipment, and maintain a consistent cleaning regime.
“Assemblies have the resources through property rates and other internally generated funds. These should be prioritised to recruit workers and ensure our communities remain clean at all times,” the minister stated.
During the tour, the minister inspected major streets, markets and sanitation facilities, interacting with local officials and sanitation workers to assess the impact of the week-long nationwide sanitation exercise. While he commended some improvement in cleanliness, he expressed concern about lapses in waste collection and maintenance in certain areas.
Mr. Ibrahim emphasised that sanitation must be treated as a continuous responsibility, not an activity limited to special campaigns. He urged MMDAs to strengthen supervision, enforce sanitation bye-laws, and collaborate with private waste management companies to sustain gains made during National Sanitation Week.
The minister also warned that assemblies that fail to prioritise sanitation could face sanctions, adding that his ministry would intensify monitoring to ensure compliance.
National Sanitation Week is a government-led initiative aimed at promoting environmental cleanliness, public health and behavioural change across the country.