Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, has vowed to put pressure on Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to take full responsibility for sanitation in their respective jurisdictions.

He said the 261 assemblies already have the legal authority, funding sources and enforcement powers required to manage sanitation and should therefore not use the absence of a dedicated sanitation authority as an excuse for inaction.

The Minister noted that MMDAs can employ sanitation workers, impose property and sanitation rates, enforce bylaws and utilise resources from the District Assemblies Common Fund and internally generated revenue to address sanitation challenges.

Speaking on Citi FM on Thursday, September 10, Mr Ayariga said the assemblies were the institutions responsible for keeping their jurisdictions clean.

“You are the authority. You are managing this geographical space. And yours is to make sure that it is clean. There is no vacuum in terms of institutions,” he said.

Mr Ayariga added: “They have just refused to work, and they have refused to work in some instances because nobody is pushing them to work. And my job as minister is to push them to work. I will do that.”

He said government remained open to considering a separate sanitation authority but stressed that it must not allow MMDAs to abandon responsibilities they already have.