Promising cleanliness, plastering chaos: Time to clean up the walls, Mr President

When you think of a clean country, what comes to mind? Perhaps the fresh, crisp air that doesn’t suffocate you—a real luxury, like the fancy street of the Emirates, especially when we know that air pollution is responsible for 1.1 million premature deaths across Africa. 

Or maybe, just maybe, you envision immaculate, litter-free streets that don’t serve as billboards for every Tom, Dick and Politician. But let's not get carried away with such utopian fantasies. 

After all, cleanliness is not just about appearances; it’s about the broader environmental health that fuels economic growth, public well-being, and, dare I say, a bit of pride in our surroundings.

EPI

Enter the Environmental Performance Index (EPI)—a reality check dressed in numbers. The 2024 EPI report by Yale University graciously gifts us a mirror, reflecting just how well countries are managing their environmental responsibilities. 

With 58 indicators across eleven categories like climate change mitigation, air pollution, waste management and biodiversity protection, the EPI doesn’t lie. It’s the ultimate report card for countries that care to know how clean they really are.

And where does Africa stand in this global classroom? Leading the charge are countries like Gabon, Zimbabwe and Botswana—nations that have made environmental health and sustainability more than just talking points during election season. 

Gabon proudly holds a score of 53.1, ranking 45th globally, while Zimbabwe and Botswana aren’t far behind, making the rest of us wonder: What exactly are they doing that we aren’t?

Ah, Ghana, my beloved country. Here we are, struggling to keep even our walls clean, let alone achieve the grand environmental goals our leaders so eloquently promise every four years. The irony is almost poetic. The worst culprits?

Those very leaders who grace our streets with their solemn faces on posters, promising us a better tomorrow while they deface our cities today.

Graffiti

Imagine driving through the streets of Accra. What do you see? Walls once beautified with taxpayer-funded graffiti are now buried under layers of political posters. It’s like watching an artist’s masterpiece being slowly suffocated by amateur doodles. And who’s at the forefront of this artistic vandalism? None other than our esteemed political leaders. 

Take, for example, the Burma Camp flyover where the graffiti was shamelessly defaced by posters of former President John Dramani Mahama. 

Yes, the very individuals who should exemplify respect for public spaces, and the citizens are the first to claim them as personal bulletin boards.

Plastering posters 

It’s almost comical that in 2024, our politicians still cling to the archaic “Guggisberg” mentality, believing that plastering posters on unauthorised public spaces is a valid strategy for boosting their visibility. 

Perhaps, this is why so many of our challenges remain unresolved—they’re still stuck in a century-old mindset. On a lighter note, I can’t help but think that if Guggisberg were alive today, he would not have engaged in such outdated, shameful and anti-social practices.

But let’s not be too harsh; it’s not just a nuisance. It’s a masterclass in hypocrisy. Our politicians, who vow to build the cleanest city in Africa, are the very ones who defile it with their campaign posters. 

It’s almost as if they’re daring us to trust them while actively proving they’re unworthy of that trust. How can we believe in leaders who preach about cleanliness and environmental stewardship, yet are the first to dirty their own backyards?

The Environmental Performance Index shows us that a clean environment is within our grasp—if we actually want it. But in Ghana, our leaders seem more interested in the cleanliness of their public images than the actual cleanliness of the cities they claim to love.

Take action

Mr President, you’ve challenged us to be citizens, not spectators. A noble call, indeed. But how can we rise to that challenge when our leaders, including yourself, are the very ones sabotaging your vision for a clean and beautiful Ghana? 

The indiscriminate posting of political posters isn’t just an eyesore; it’s a symptom of a deeper malady—a disregard for the rule of law and public order.

So, let’s stop the empty promises and start taking real action. Mr President, I implore you to direct your appointee Mayors, Municipal, and District Chief Executives—especially the Mayor of Accra—to enforce city by-laws with the rigour of a headmaster at a strict boarding school.

Order all political parties and religious groups to remove their posters from unauthorised spaces. Hold them to the standards they so loftily set for the rest of us.

We have only one Ghana. Let’s keep it tidy. The vision of making Accra the cleanest city in Africa starts with you, Mr President, and with every leader who claims to care about this country.

Let’s not just talk about a clean Ghana—let’s actually make it happen. Our environmental cleanliness clock is ticking out!

Managing Partner,
NKAKA & Partners.

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System Summary

The article "Promising Cleanliness, Plastering Chaos: Time to Clean Up the Walls, Mr. President" criticizes the Ghanaian government's approach to cleanliness and urban management, highlighting a disconnect between political promises and the reality on the ground.

It draws attention to the chaotic state of many urban areas, where poor sanitation and disorderly environments pose significant public health risks.

The article calls on the government, particularly the President, to move beyond promises and take decisive action to clean up and improve these spaces, emphasizing the importance of accountability and effective governance in achieving these goals.