Greater Accra Minister vows tougher sanitation enforcement

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, has vowed that individuals who flout sanitation laws will face prosecution as part of renewed efforts to make Accra a clean environment.

She stressed that without enforcement and punishment, the efforts at keeping a clean environment would be wasted.

During the second edition of the Regional Sanitation Day exercise held in the Shai-Osudoku Constituency, the minister expressed disappointment over persistent poor sanitation practices, despite past government interventions such as the Cleaner City Agenda and Operation Clean Your Frontage.

“Without enforcement, we will come back to square one.

We’ve observed it happen before. So this time, offenders will be prosecuted. It’s the only way to deter others and make progress,” she said. 

Mrs Ocloo, who is the Member of Parliament of the area, mentioned the establishment of sanitation courts and stressed the need for law enforcement agencies and environmental health officers to ensure compliance.

“If someone litters where they shouldn’t, they must face the law. The fines must be high enough to send a clear message,” she added. 

Clean-up

The day saw residents of Shai Osudoku step out in unity, armed with sanitation tools and determined to clean up their environment.

Wearing gloves and rubber boots, they took to the streets with brooms, shovels and wheelbarrows.

The exercise, which began early in the morning on Saturday (April 12, 2025), involved desilting choked gutters and drains, sweeping streets and clearing refuse dumps.

Some men tackled overgrown weeds along roadsides and vacant lots, while others collected plastic waste and disposed of it in designated containers.

There was a communal spirit throughout the clean-up, with residents working side by side with assembly officials, environmental health workers and volunteers.

The exercise, aimed at reinforcing personal responsibility and environmental hygiene, ended with a pledge to keep the community clean and support the enforcement measures moving forward.

DCEs

Ms Ocloo also emphasised that Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) would be held directly accountable for any lapses in sanitation enforcement within their jurisdictions.

“We are going to task the DCEs because they are responsible.

They must ensure the laws are enforced in their districts.

I will not sit and allow anyone to make our work difficult,” she said. 

She further mentioned that Coordinating Directors would support the DCEs in executing these responsibilities, adding that any failure to comply would not be tolerated.

“Whoever doesn’t comply, like I said, will face the consequences. We are not compromising on this,” Ms Ocloo said. 

Landfill sites

Touching on the issue of landfill sites, the minister admitted that while some districts have access to engineered landfill sites, others are still lacking.

“I won’t say we have enough, because as I’m speaking to you, some districts don’t have any,” she acknowledged.

She said the government was currently in consultation with waste management service providers to address the gaps, adding that details of those plans would be outlined during the launch of the upcoming National Sanitation Day.