By Patrick Ofoe Nudzi
Accra, Jan. 8, GNA- The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has announced that the first National Sanitation Day (NSD) exercise for 2026 will take place on Saturday, January 10, across the metropolis from 0600 hours until completion.
The exercise, initially scheduled for January 3, was postponed to allow for Christmas and New Year trading activities, particularly within the Central Business District (CBD).
In a statement signed by Mr. Gilbert Nii Ankrah, Head of Public Affairs, the AMA described the first National Sanitation Day as both strategic and urgent, noting that it begins the new year following intense commercial activity, increased waste generation and heavy strain on the city’s sanitation systems.
The Assembly explained that the clean-up exercise would help restore environmental cleanliness and protect public health at the start of the year.
The statement directed that all shops, markets and business premises should remain closed from 6:00 a.m. until the exercise ends, to ensure full participation in communal labour, in line with the President’s directive and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (Communal Labour) Bye-Laws, 2017, established under Section 181 of the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936).
Activities will include desilting and cleaning of drains, sweeping of streets and lanes, removal of unauthorised banners and posters, and general clean-up of markets, lorry parks and public spaces.
The exercise will cover all electoral areas, communities, markets and the CBD, with intensified operations at the Cable and Wireless enclave in Okaikoi South, Agbogbloshie Market and the Accra CBD.
The AMA said Public Health Officers, known as “Sama-Sama,” together with the Sanitation Taskforce, sweepers and janitors, would be deployed across all sub-metros.
These teams would be supported with logistics and equipment to facilitate desilting, refuse collection and safe disposal at approved sites.
The Assembly cautioned that failure to comply with the sanitation directive or refusal to participate in communal labour constituted an offence.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey