The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has issued a clear warning to all Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to improve sanitation in every community.

Consequently, he has announced a one-week nationwide clean-up exercise from Saturday, December 13 to December 20, stressing that he and his team will conduct unannounced inspections to hold local leaders personally accountable for filth.

The sweeping ultimatum is part of a national effort to ensure a clean and welcoming Ghana ahead of the critical Christmas and New Year festive season, a period that sees a massive influx of diaspora visitors.

Mr Ibrahim delivered his sharp message during an unannounced inspection tour of several Greater Accra municipalities, including Ayawaso West Wuogon, La Nkwatanang, Madina, and Adentan.

He emphasized that the role of an MMDCE is one of service, not privilege, and that the President's faith in them must be repaid with tangible results.

“So if you are an MDA or MMCE, President Mahama did not appoint you to come and sit there and disburse the common fund. He gave you a job. Leadership is about service. Let that service be performed. Our responsibility is supervision, and we are going to intensify it,” he declared.

The minister confirmed that sanitation workers, including 'borla taxis', sweepers, and waste trucks, will be fully deployed nationwide starting from Monday, signalling an all-out government assault on waste accumulation.

“On Monday, ‘the borla taxis will be at work, the sweepers, those that are functional, will be at work. The trucks will be at work.”

To ensure the success of the rigorous seven-day campaign, Minister Ibrahim hinted at forming a powerful, multi-sectoral collaboration team, effectively transforming the cleanup drive into a national security and public health imperative.

“We are all going to the drawing board, together with my colleagues. So we will bring in Transport, Health and Interior to be part of the ministry. These seven days, at least, we must make sure Ghana is clean for the festive season, so that our brothers and sisters who will be coming from foreign countries will have a good impression of Ghana,” he revealed.

The involvement of the Interior Ministry suggests that sanitation laws—which include penalties of fines or imprisonment for sanitation offenses—will be strictly enforced during the campaign period. President Mahama previously launched the re-introduction of the National Sanitation Day, stressing that MMDCEs would be personally held accountable for sanitation in their districts.

The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, who accompanied the delegation, reinforced the economic necessity of the cleanup, linking sanitation directly to Ghana’s global image and tourism revenue.

The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, added that a clean environment makes it easier to promote the country, leaving a positive impression on foreigners visiting Ghana.

Minister Ibrahim concluded by reiterating that his unannounced inspections across the 261 assemblies will ensure that “the era of pretence is over,” replacing ceremonial cleanups with verifiable, week-long action and measurable results from every MMDCE.