Chief of Staff Dr. Julius Debrah has warned local authorities against selective law enforcement and superficial cleanup drives, calling for consistent, daily environmental discipline across the country.
Delivering the keynote address at the Ghana Sanitation and Clean Environment Conference, organized by Ignite Media Group at the Cedi Conference Centre, University of Ghana, Legon, Dr. Debrah cautioned that sporadic monthly exercises cannot solve Ghana’s sanitation challenges.
Highlighting the need for equal accountability, Dr. Debrah insisted that municipal authorities must enforce environmental regulations without bias toward status or wealth.
“Enforcement must be firm, fair and consistent,” Dr. Debrah declared. “Rules applied only occasionally, or only to those without influence, will not change behaviour.”
He criticized the reliance on periodic public cleanups, urging citizens and institutions to adopt environmental hygiene as a constant, everyday responsibility rather than a scheduled event.
“One Saturday cannot carry the burden of an entire month,” he noted. “Cleanliness must become a daily habit, not a monthly ceremony.”
Dr. Debrah further emphasized that maintaining a clean environment goes beyond visual appeal, framing sanitation as a critical benchmark for effective leadership and active citizenship.
“A clean country is therefore not a cosmetic mission,” Dr. Debrah stated. “It is a test of citizenship. It is a test of leadership.”
To track progress, the Chief of Staff pointed to institutional measures including sanitation key performance indicators integrated into the assessment framework for Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), along with the Cleanest City Award, warning that practices such as indiscriminate dumping will no longer be tolerated.