Sanitation is a critical issue, yet efforts to combat it often seem like a mirage.
Nearly all urban centers in Ghana are overwhelmed by the vast quantities of waste generated daily.
Both organic and inorganic waste materials inundate many areas.
According to data from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in October 2022, Ghana generates about 12,710 tonnes of solid waste every day, with only 10 percent collected and disposed of properly.
However, the most significant challenge facing cities is plastic waste, with over one million tons generated annually and only about five percent recycled.
Though the issue is severe, the efforts to address it appear to be cosmetic.
Why Are These Efforts Cosmetic and Not Real?
Over the years, successive governments have launched initiatives designating the first Saturday of each month as Sanitation Day.
In November 2014, then-President John Dramani Mahama declared this day National Sanitation Day in response to a cholera outbreak that claimed over 150 lives that year.
This initiative aimed to demonstrate the government’s commitment to promoting sanitation nationwide.
However, as the years passed, the significance of the day faded, and sanitation issues became sidelined.
In November 2017, then-President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo reintroduced a similar campaign to tackle the country’s sanitation challenges, urging the public to prioritize cleanliness every day.
Yet, by the end of his eight-year term, the situation had not improved and may have even worsened.
If these initiatives were real, why does the sanitation situation continue to deteriorate day after day?
Big events are often held amid fanfare, with taxpayers’ money invested in these initiatives, but within weeks, months, or years, the issues return to square one.
While Ghana’s National Sanitation Day was intended to address sanitation issues, it often appears more cosmetic than effective in tackling the root causes of poor sanitation.
Although clean-up efforts can be beneficial, they do not address systemic problems such as inadequate access to improved sanitation, lack of infrastructure, and poor waste management practices.
Sanitation has become more of an event rather than a daily responsibility.
Citizens now wait for authorities to announce clean-up days instead of taking personal responsibility for maintaining cleanliness in their surroundings.
Drains, streams, and markets are frequently overwhelmed with waste, leading to flooding after heavy rains.
People often seem unconcerned, and waiting for the next scheduled clean-up exercise.
After launching these Sanitation Days and once the activities for the day end, many people go back to sleep, waiting for a new minister or president to relaunch the next sanitation day.
Why are different leaders initiating the same activity with no proper results? This is absolutely unreasonable.
Cities are sometimes only cleaned ahead of major events, including big funerals, festivals, or presidential visits.
Postponement of Sanitation Day
The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, announced that the National Sanitation Day (NSD) was rescheduled from April 5 to Saturday, May 3, 2025.
He explained that the clean-up efforts would be treated as an emergency operation, with strong backing from environmental service providers and the government to ensure nationwide participation.
However, April 5 and May 3 have passed, yet the day has not been launched. Does this not explain the laxity and inaction of authorities regarding waste management in the country?
The Financial Cost of Poor Sanitation in Ghana
According to a desk study by the Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) of the World Bank, poor sanitation costs Ghana approximately 420 million Cedis annually, equivalent to about US$290 million.
This figure translates to roughly US$12 per person per year, or 1.6% of the national GDP.
The economic burden of poor sanitation disproportionately affects the most vulnerable segments of the population, underscoring the severity of this long-standing issue.
Sanitary Inspectors in the 1990s
In the 1990s, Sanitary Inspectors, known locally as “Tankas” or “Samansaman,” were instrumental in enforcing cleanliness and encouraging the community to maintain hygienic practices.
Sanitation defaulters faced immediate penalties, either through summons or fines, depending on the severity of the issue.
People respected these inspectors, which led to significant improvements in sanitation.
However, when their powers were transferred to the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) between the mid-1990s and early 2000s, the situation began to decline.
The problem has since escalated into a national crisis.
Some Ghanaians are calling for a return to such initiatives, but the question remains: will they be effective now as they were in the past?
Written by Fatawu Bayaga: Plastic & Sanitation Journalist
