Graphic, Ministry to drive sanitation agenda

The Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources will leverage the image of the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GGCL) as a “big fish” in the media industry to take the national sanitation drive a notch higher.

The Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Ms Cecilia Abena Dapaah, said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s quest to make Ghana and Accra the cleanest country and city in Africa was not a fluke, for which reason the ministry, which is leading the charge, would bring all on board and seek the right partnerships to drive the dream forward.

Speaking when a delegation from the GCGL, led by the Editor of the flagship Daily Graphic, Mr Kobby Asmah, called on her in her office in Accra last Wednesday, the minister said: “We are on the path of getting it right, and we shall definitely get there.”

Year of Sanitation

The GCGL has declared 2021 the ‘Year of Sanitation’ and is focusing on efforts to whip up the citizenry to adhere to good sanitation practices.

As part of the campaign, the Daily Graphic will publish a special supplement on ‘Sanitation in Ghana’ on April 29, on the theme: “Keep Ghana Clean”.

Consequently, the delegation was in the minister’s office to seek the support of the ministry as a major partner for the advocacy.

The company has set out a six-point rationale for the publication of the special supplement.

These are: to offer a credible platform for players in the industry to demonstrate what they have done and are currently doing to boost the sector, examine best practices and challenges in the sanitation sector in Ghana and offer the opportunity for businesses to advertise their products or services.

The others are: create an advocacy platform for players within the sector and other stakeholders to amplify activities in the sector, drive competition among regions, districts / municipalities / metropolises and constituencies and position improved sanitation as the responsibility of all and a lifestyle agenda.

Mr Kobby Asmah (3rd left) speaking during the meeting with Ms Cecilia Dapaah (2nd right) in her office. With them are Mr Kwaku Ofosu (left), Sales and Circulations Manager, GCGL; Ms Mary Mensah, Foreign Editor of the Daily Graphic, and Mr Noah Tumfo (right), the Chief Director of the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources. Picture: DOUGLAS ANANE-FRIMPONG

Right time

Ms Dapaah described the GCGL project as timely, in view of the national effort to get all Ghanaians on board the sanitation initiative.

“You could not have come at a better time when the quest to make Ghana and Accra the cleanest country and city in Africa has reached another level,” she said.

The minister said she believed in results, saying that in travelling on that path, “we will go for the low-hanging fruits”.

That was especially so since sanitation was basically a human problem, she explained.

Cleanliness, she said, was not about buildings but keeping one’s environment clean.

Collaboration key

Briefing the minister on the GGCL project, Mr Asmah expressed the hope that the collaboration with the ministry would drive the national sanitation agenda forward.

He said aside from the launch of the campaign in Accra, other events would be organised in the regions.

“Through your support, we will select the best region, district/municipality/metropolis and constituency,” he stated.

Mr Asmah said although the President had set the tone to make Accra the cleanest city in Africa, it would demand hard work from all to achieve that target.

“It’s doable when we all work harder,” the Editor stated.

In all that, he noted, education was a key ingredient

He congratulated the minister on her reappointment to the ministry.

Other members of the GCGL delegation were Mr Kwaku Tweneboah Ofosu, the Sales and Circulation Manager; Ms Mary Mensah, the Foreign News/Supplements Editor; Mr Douglas Anane-Frimpong, the Photo Editor; Mr Kwame Asare Boadu, a Deputy News Editor, and Mrs Mavis Kyerewaa Wiafe of the Corporate Communications Unit.

The Chief Director, Mr Noah Tumfo, and the Director (Finance and Administration), Mr Joseph K. Amoah, both of the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, were with the minister.