An elder of the Apostolic Reformed Zion (A.R.S.) Church, Sempe Branch in Accra, Elder Patrick Kwasi Adu, has called on President John Dramani Mahama to adopt stricter sanitation laws, including the instant fining of people who litter public places, to address Ghana’s persistent sanitation challenges.
According to him, the country’s sanitation crisis is not due to a lack of knowledge but rather weak enforcement of existing laws, indiscipline and the absence of sustained public education.
In a statement titled “Our Sanitation Problem — The Solution ‘MAGNA’,” Elder Adu lamented the decline in discipline and civic responsibility, arguing that Ghana has moved away from the values that once made it one of Africa’s most admired countries.
Quoting Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, who declared that “the Blackman is capable of managing his own affairs,” he said current attitudes towards sanitation and environmental management undermine that vision.
He recalled the era of the Ghana Young Pioneers in the 1960s when discipline, patriotism and environmental cleanliness were vigorously promoted, stressing that strict enforcement of sanitation regulations by local authorities significantly reduced disease outbreaks.
According to him, corruption and weak law enforcement have now become major obstacles to maintaining clean communities.
He blamed indiscriminate littering, open defecation, illegal mining, destruction of forests and water bodies, and general disrespect for public property on a growing culture of indiscipline.
Elder Adu also linked poor sanitation to the perennial flooding experienced in Accra and other parts of the country, noting that choked drains continue to contribute to the loss of lives and property during heavy rains.
While acknowledging that covering all drainage systems may not be financially feasible at the moment, he urged authorities to prioritise regular desilting of gutters, intensified public education and strict enforcement of sanitation regulations.
He argued that no meaningful improvement in sanitation would be achieved unless habitual offenders were punished.
“We need legislation that empowers authorities to impose instant fines on anyone caught littering,” he stressed, adding that such measures would deter offenders and promote responsible behaviour.
The church elder said he had previously submitted proposals on sanitation reform to the Ministry of Sanitation, as well as recommendations on electoral reforms and illegal mining to relevant state institutions, but had yet to receive any response.
Despite the lack of engagement, he expressed optimism that practical solutions exist to address the country’s sanitation challenges if government demonstrates the political will to act.
He appealed directly to President Mahama to grant his team an audience to present what he described as a comprehensive sanitation strategy capable of transforming the country’s environmental management system.
Elder Adu maintained that while experts have a role to play, solving Ghana’s sanitation challenges also requires divine guidance, effective leadership, public cooperation and uncompromising enforcement of the law.
