Public apathy, lack of logistics and inadequate equipment have been cited as major challenges to the sustenance of the National Sanitation Day Campaign.

The initiative, introduced in 2014, was aimed at addressing the high incidence of cholera in the country.

In 2014, Ghana was hit by worst ever cholera outbreak in the country’s history.

243 people died out of over 28,000 cases recorded. It was followed by the introduction of the National Sanitation Day to address it.

Acting Director of the Environmental, Health and Sanitation Directorate, Naa Demedeme Lenason revealed  962 cases of cholera was recorded, out of which 15 died in 2015-an indication the exercise was successful.

Patronage however has been on the decline over the period, sometimes with residents looking as clean-up exercises go on in their communities.

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development is engaging stakeholders on ways to reverse the trend.

Sanitiation, according to Naa Demedeme “is a direct service and responsibilities of the district assemblies so they must take the lead for us to support them”.

On many occasions, land for final disposal became difficult and heaps of rubbish from desilted are left uncleared.

“We need to fix these things; we need to change our attitudes. The assemblies must make provisions so that they also strengthen their units in charge of these things”.

Strengthening legal regimes is one of major recommendations to address the challenge.

Naa Lenason says metropolitan municipal and district assemblies must be proactive in enforcement with a call on the assemblies to revise outmoded by-laws.

This month’s Sanitation Day on Saturday, 5^th March, focuses on Kumasi.

Manager of music group VVIP and official of Broadway entertainment, Zilla Liman,  is bringing the musicians on board the exercise.

“As musicians we understand our pull power, power of persuasion that people will come out and listen to us. We serve as role models so need to encourage everybody to come out and clean.”