National Sanitation Day: Mahama Unveils Youth-Led Green Initiatives and Accountability Measures

President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to environmental protection and sustainable development with the relaunch of the National Sanitation Day campaign.

Speaking at the launch on Saturday, September 6, Mr. Mahama announced a series of programmes under his government’s green agenda, focusing on youth empowerment, afforestation, river protection, and stronger accountability at the local government level.

He highlighted two flagship initiatives—the Blue Water River Guards and the Tree for Life Restoration—as central to the agenda. The Blue Water programme will train 2,000 young people in river protection and conservation, with 400 youth set to begin work immediately on rehabilitating polluted water bodies across the country.

The Tree for Life Restoration project will tackle deforestation and climate change by involving young people in reforestation activities. It will prioritize the planting of cocoa, palm, timber, and rubber trees to restore degraded lands while creating sustainable jobs for the youth.

“This initiative promotes afforestation and environmental sustainability, while also creating employment and restoring ecological balance,” Mr. Mahama stated.

To strengthen governance, the President also announced a new performance assessment framework for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), which will include strict environmental sanitation benchmarks. This, he said, would compel local authorities to prioritize waste management and environmental health in their jurisdictions.

The reintroduced National Sanitation Day will now be observed on the first Saturday of every month, serving as a platform for collective national action on sanitation and environmental protection.