By Michael Foli Jackidy
Ho (V/R), Sept 12, GNA – Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim, Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, has urged traditional authorities to play a frontline role in the fight against poor sanitation.
HE said sanitation is a national duty central to public health and community well-being.
Speaking at the opening of a two-day training workshop for Judicial Committees of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs in Ho on Thursday, the Minister said the government had renewed its commitment to addressing sanitation challenges through the Clean Ghana Initiative.
He recalled the launch of the National Sanitation Day in Accra on Saturday, September 6, 2025, which he said signaled “a new national commitment to environmental cleanliness and public health.”
Mr. Ibrahim noted that Ho, the Volta Regional capital, had been described as the “Oxygen City” due to its greenery and fresh environment, adding that the title must be jealously guarded.
“We must institutionalize this initiative as a civic responsibility for every citizen, because poor sanitation is one of the leading causes of preventable diseases in Ghana. A clean environment is not just an aspiration—it is a right and a necessity for all Ghanaians,” he stressed.
He further disclosed that as part of measures to enforce discipline, President John Dramani Mahama had directed the establishment of Palace Sanitation Courts across the country.
These courts, to be set up within traditional palaces, would empower chiefs to summon offenders who flouted sanitation regulations.
“The President has spoken; our duty is to implement. Chiefs will now have the authority to ensure that their palaces and communities remain clean and safe,” Mr. Ibrahim said.
The Minister praised the Volta Regional Minister, Mr. James Gunu, for his proactive role in supporting the initiative and called on all chiefs to take up the challenge of ensuring compliance within their jurisdictions.
On behalf of the traditional authorities, chiefs present at the workshop pledged their full support for the sanitation initiative.
They assured the government of their commitment to mobilizing their people, enforcing discipline, and using their influence to instill a culture of cleanliness.
They emphasised that traditional leadership was not only about preserving culture but also about safeguarding health, dignity, and the environment for future generations.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Benjamin Mensh