Local Government Minister Announces One-Week Nationwide Clean-Up, Warns MMDCEs of Sanctions

The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has announced a one-week nationwide clean-up exercise aimed at drastically improving sanitation across the country ahead of the Christmas and New Year festivities.

The exercise will run from Saturday, December 13 to Friday, December 20, with the Minister warning that Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) will be held personally accountable for sanitation failures in their jurisdictions.

Mr Ibrahim said he and his team will embark on unannounced inspections nationwide to assess compliance, stressing that the era of ceremonial clean-up exercises is over.

Unannounced Inspections Begin

The Minister issued the directive during an unannounced inspection tour of several assemblies in Greater Accra, including Ayawaso West Wuogon, La Nkwatanang, Madina, and Adentan.

He reminded MMDCEs that their appointments are based on service delivery, not privilege, and that President John Dramani Mahama expects measurable results.

“President Mahama did not appoint you to sit down and disburse the common fund. He gave you a job. Leadership is about service. Our responsibility is supervision, and we are going to intensify it,” he declared.

Full Deployment of Sanitation Workers

Mr Ibrahim confirmed that sanitation personnel nationwide will be fully mobilised from Monday, including sweepers, waste trucks and borla taxis, to support the clean-up drive.

“From Monday, the borla taxis will be at work, the sweepers will be at work, and the trucks will be at work,” he stated.

Multi-Sector Enforcement Approach

To ensure strict compliance, the Minister disclosed plans to involve multiple ministries, including Transport, Health, and Interior, effectively elevating the exercise into a public health and national security priority.

“These seven days, at least, we must make sure Ghana is clean for the festive season so that our brothers and sisters coming from abroad will have a good impression of Ghana,” he said.

The inclusion of the Interior Ministry signals the possible strict enforcement of sanitation laws, which carry penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment for offenders.

Tourism and National Image at Stake

Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, who accompanied the inspection team, emphasised the economic importance of sanitation, noting that a clean environment is critical to tourism promotion and Ghana’s international image.

“A clean Ghana makes it easier to market the country and leaves a positive impression on visitors,” she said.

End of ‘Pretence’

Mr Ibrahim concluded by stressing that inspections across all 261 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies will be sustained throughout the exercise.

“The era of pretence is over. This is about real action, measurable results, and accountability,” he said.

The clean-up exercise forms part of government’s broader sanitation reform agenda, following the re-introduction of National Sanitation Day, under which MMDCEs are directly responsible for cleanliness in their districts.