The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Hon. Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, has announced the reintroduction of the National Sanitation Day and a Cleanest City Award to promote a competitive and responsible approach to environmental sanitation in the region.
According to her, in line with the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s “Clean Up Ghana” agenda, a Regional Sanitation Day will be observed on the last Friday of every month to improve environmental cleanliness and waste management across the region.
Speaking at an engagement with the management of the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (GARCC) on her first day in office, the minister emphasised that waste management and sanitation would be a key performance indicator for Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs).
She stated that her administration would implement a comprehensive sanitation policy that would encourage waste segregation and the provision of garbage bags and bins in public places and homes.
She revealed plans to strengthen the capacities of sanitation and waste management departments within the MMDAs to enhance efficiency, adding that social and behavioural change campaigns would be intensified to educate and reorient citizens on proper sanitation practices.
She also announced plans to strengthen local governance by working closely with traditional authorities, religious organisations, and other stakeholders to deepen decentralisation.
She emphasised that MMDAs would be empowered to improve revenue generation for sustainable development, while sub-district structures such as zonal and area councils would be reinforced to enhance participatory governance.
On security, the Minister, who also chairs the Regional Security Council (REGSEC), assured that she would collaborate with security agencies to maintain peace and order in accordance with the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, 2020 (Act 1030).
She also expressed her commitment to intensifying the provision and replacement of streetlights across the region to improve visibility, reduce crime, and enhance road safety.
Touching on economic development, Hon. Ocloo highlighted her intention to collaborate with MMDCEs to drive local economic development with a particular focus on supporting women entrepreneurs, adding that she would work closely with the Women’s Bank to foster innovation and promote women-owned businesses.
She also announced plans to facilitate trade fairs in collaboration with relevant institutions such as the Department of Agriculture, Ghana Tourism Authority, Ministry of Trade, and the Ghana Enterprise Agency.
She used the opportunity to call on civil society organisations, the private sector, and the media to support her administration to transform the region and reiterated that she would rely on the expertise of public servants to advance the government’s agenda.
Hon. Ocloo expressed confidence that through collective effort, Greater Accra would become a cleaner, safer, and more prosperous region for all.
Ghana l Atinkaonline.com l Ebenezer Madugu
