The Media Coalition Against Open Defecation (M-CODE), with support from World Vision Ghana, has launched a week-long nationwide accountability campaign aimed at ensuring Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) deliver on government’s new policy that makes sanitation a Key Performance Indicator (KPI).
The initiative, which will be implemented across seven regions, seeks to strengthen public accountability by monitoring the performance of MMDCEs in improving sanitation and eliminating open defecation.
According to M-CODE, the campaign follows government’s decision to formally include sanitation among the key indicators used to assess the performance of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives.
The coalition explained that the one-week exercise is designed to position the media as an independent accountability platform that bridges government, traditional authorities, local assemblies and citizens through evidence-based reporting on sanitation issues.
Regional Activities.
As part of the campaign, different regions will undertake tailored accountability activities.
In the Central and Western Regions, radio and television panel discussions will be organised to examine sanitation as a performance indicator for MMDCEs. The discussions will focus on performance benchmarks, sanitation budgets, enforcement of sanitation by-laws and the implementation of policies aimed at improving environmental cleanliness.
In the Greater Accra, Northern and Upper West Regions, the spotlight will be on traditional authorities and faith-based leaders. Interviews will be conducted to document their roles and contributions towards promoting sanitation and supporting efforts to eliminate open defecation in their respective communities.
Meanwhile, Assembly Members in the Upper East and Ahafo Regions will be engaged through interviews to assess district-level interventions, challenges and progress made towards achieving open defecation-free communities.
Unified National Message.
To ensure consistency, all campaign materials and media products will acknowledge the support of World Vision Ghana and carry a unified national message: “Sanitation is now a KPI. Performance must be measured.”
The campaign will also feature the branding of both M-CODE and World Vision Ghana, accompanied by the hashtags #SanitationKPI, #EndODM-CODE and #WVGSanitation to amplify public engagement across traditional and digital media platforms.
Promoting Accountability.
M-CODE believes the campaign will deepen public understanding that sanitation is no longer merely a public health concern but an important governance indicator on which MMDCEs will be assessed.
The coalition expects the initiative to secure measurable commitments from MMDCEs, traditional rulers and Assembly Members towards improving sanitation services and ending open defecation.
It also aims to establish a credible evidence base that will support quarterly monitoring of sanitation performance and strengthen advocacy for improved environmental sanitation nationwide.
The organisers expressed confidence that the collaboration between the media, local authorities, traditional leaders and development partners will help accelerate Ghana’s efforts to eradicate open defecation and promote cleaner, healthier communities across the country.
