KMA to Impose Sanctions on Residents, Traders Who Shun National Sanitation Day Exercise

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has announced plans to sanction individuals and businesses that fail to participate in the monthly National Sanitation Day cleanup exercise, as authorities intensify efforts to promote cleanliness and civic responsibility in the metropolis.

On Saturday, November 1, the usually busy Central Business District (CBD) of Kumasi appeared unusually quiet. Shops remained shuttered, and the bustling trading activities that typically define the city centre were replaced by near-empty streets. By 8:30 a.m., only a few residents could be seen lounging idly as sanitation workers and volunteers swept and cleared drains.

Despite extensive sensitisation campaigns and repeated calls from government officials, participation among traders and shop owners continues to remain alarmingly low. Many residents reportedly preferred to keep their shops closed and watch from a distance as others took part in the exercise.

Low Turnout Draws Concern

Speaking on Channel One Newsroom, Environmental Health Officer Kwaku Poku expressed disappointment over the poor turnout, describing it as a long-standing challenge that undermines the success of the national sanitation campaign.

“It has been a source of worry to the Assembly whenever we organise this kind of exercise — the participation has been quite low,” Mr. Poku lamented. “We expect the shop owners and the attendants to support us in that regard.”

He explained that the Assembly has made consistent efforts through radio announcements, public education, and community outreach programmes to encourage voluntary participation, yet compliance has remained unsatisfactory.

Mayor Orders Sanctions and Shop Closures

According to Mr. Poku, the Mayor of Kumasi, Richard Kwasi Ofori Boadi Agyemang, has instructed that stricter measures be introduced to ensure compliance. These will include sanctions against individuals and business owners who refuse to take part in the monthly cleanup exercises.

“It is a national exercise, so everybody is supposed to partake in it. Those who refuse to take part will face sanctions so that everybody sees this exercise as an important one,” Mr. Poku warned.

Earlier in the day, the Mayor directed that all shops within the Central Business District remain closed until after 2 p.m., as a penalty for traders who ignored previous sanitation activities. This, he explained, is to send a strong message that cleanliness is a shared civic duty and not an option.

A Call for Civic Responsibility

The National Sanitation Day initiative, introduced in 2014, aims to instil a culture of communal responsibility and environmental hygiene across Ghana. However, participation has gradually declined in several metropolitan and municipal areas, including Kumasi, despite the rising sanitation challenges and health risks posed by poor waste management.

Environmental experts have commended KMA’s renewed enforcement efforts, emphasising that active citizen involvement is crucial to addressing recurring sanitation issues in urban centres.

Mr. Poku reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to ensuring a cleaner Kumasi through a combination of enforcement, education, and collaboration with residents.

“We can only achieve the vision of a clean city when every individual understands their role and takes responsibility. It’s not the duty of the Assembly alone—it’s a shared obligation,” he said.

As the city braces for stricter enforcement in the coming months, KMA officials hope that consistent participation will gradually transform public attitudes toward sanitation and strengthen Kumasi’s image as Ghana’s Garden City once again.