Presby Moderator Endorses Reintroduction of National Sanitation Day

The Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rt. Rev. Dr. Abraham Nana Opoku Kwakye, has thrown his full support behind the reintroduction of the National Sanitation Day (NSD), describing it as a crucial initiative that will significantly improve hygiene and public health across the country.

He made the remarks during a high-level engagement with the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim, at the headquarters of the Church in Accra. The visit formed part of broader stakeholder consultations ahead of the official relaunch and observance of the National Sanitation Day, scheduled for Saturday, 3rd May 2025.

“We all talk about the good old days, but very few of us are ready to take the right steps,” the Moderator remarked. “If we allow discipline to take its rightful place in our schools and communities, sanitation will no longer be our problem.”

Rt. Rev. Dr. Opoku Kwakye emphasized the role of religious institutions and leadership in instilling a culture of cleanliness and civic responsibility, urging all Presbyterians across the country to participate fully in the renewed effort.

“I endorse the initiative and charge all districts, congregations, and preaching points of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana to take active part in ensuring that this does not become a one-day event, but a continuous lifestyle of environmental responsibility,” he stated.

He further lauded government’s recent efforts to strengthen partnerships with faith-based organizations in education, particularly through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Christian Council on the management of mission schools. According to him, such collaboration will allow churches to shape the next generation of leaders with values of discipline, responsibility, and national pride.

Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim, in his remarks, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building a cleaner Ghana through inclusive stakeholder participation. The courtesy call formed part of a series of strategic engagements with religious and traditional leaders ahead of the relaunch of the National Sanitation Day, a key component of Ghana’s sanitation and environmental sustainability agenda.

The initiative is expected to mobilize communities, schools, churches, mosques, civil society, and all relevant institutions to embrace monthly sanitation activities aimed at restoring environmental cleanliness and improving public health outcomes nationwide.

Source: Matilda Tettey/Darling Maame Efua Cann

(Public Relations Unit MLGDRD)

The European Union (EU) and the Government of France are scaling up their efforts to address urban development and climate resilience challenges in Northern Ghana through an expanded support package under the Sustainable Cities Project.

A high-level mission to Tamale brought together the EU Ambassador to Ghana, Irchad Razaaly; the French Ambassador, Jules-Armand Aniambossou; the Northern Regional Minister, Hon. Ali Adolf John; and Dr. Pamela Adofo Ansong from the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs. The visit focused on strengthening collaboration with local authorities and communities to improve urban infrastructure and services.

The Sustainable Cities Project, currently underway in Tamale, Wa, Yendi, Damongo, Bolgatanga, and Nalerigu, is supported with €15 million in funding from the EU and implemented by Expertise France. The project is improving urban planning, sanitation, flood control, and green public spaces, while supporting the creation of Urban Observatories to guide evidence-based city management.

The delegation visited communities in Lamakara, Buipela, Nalung, and Tutingli to engage with residents and assess needs on the ground. Flooding, heatwaves, and poor sanitation were highlighted as urgent issues affecting health, safety, and livelihoods.

In response, the EU and France announced plans for an expanded €55.5 million intervention, which will deliver faecal sludge treatment plants, individual household toilets, and improved waste systems across the six cities. Plans are also underway to improve water access in Tamale, Wa, and Damongo, with new support from partners including Denmark and the Netherlands.

“The challenges in our cities are real, but so is our determination to solve them together,” said Hon. Ali Adolf John, speaking on behalf of the Minister for Local Government, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim. “This partnership gives us the tools and confidence to plan and build cities that are healthier, safer, and more resilient.”

The enhanced project is expected to be launched later this year and will run through 2028.

Source: Darling Maame Efua Cann

(Public Relations Unit MLGDRD)

The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs (MLGCRA) has hosted the fifth progress meeting on the ongoing Junction Improvement Project under the Ghana Urban Mobility and Accessibility Project (GUMAP), confirming steady advancement across all six project sites in the Greater Accra Region.

The meeting, co-chaired by Ing. William Dickson of DaovTech Design Group and Ing. Patience Onny, Chief Road Safety Engineer at the Department of Urban Roads (DUR), brought together key stakeholders to assess work done so far and address emerging issues. The Ministry of Finance, however, was not represented at the session.

Updates presented showed that Lot 1, located at Mambo Junction in Ga Central, is 74 percent complete. Lot 2, covering the Otublohum Road/Obibini Street Intersection in the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), stands at 58.7 percent. In Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA), the Baba Yara Road/Padmore Street intersection under Lot 3 has reached 62 percent. Lot 4, at the Ashongman Road/Alafia Road intersection in Ga East, is 40.6 percent complete. In Ga West, Lot 5 at the Three Junction site has seen 71 percent completion, while Lot 6, covering the Ogbojo New Market intersection in Adentan and La Nkwantanang Madina, has reached 63.3 percent.

A key highlight of the meeting was the report that Ga West Municipal Assembly has successfully removed all traders obstructing progress within the project scope, a directive issued at the previous meeting. Meanwhile, concerns were raised at the AMA site, where long vehicles are encroaching on pedestrian walkways. To address this, stakeholders agreed on the need to install bollards on the shoulders of the walkways to prevent further interference.

Ing. Patience Onny urged all assemblies to enforce their bye-laws to prevent trading on walkways, stressing that this defeats the purpose of creating safe pedestrian spaces. She also encouraged assemblies to intensify community sensitization around the project areas to ensure the walkways remain free of trading activities during and after construction.

Assemblies are expected to submit their sensitization activity reports to the Ministry by Wednesday, 7th May 2025. The sixth progress review meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, 21st May 2025.

The Junction Improvement Project is a key component of the broader GUMAP intervention, aimed at improving road safety, easing congestion, and enhancing mobility within key urban centres.

Source: Darling Maame Efua Cann/Stephanie Edem Klutsey

(Public Relations Unit MLGDRD)