UE/R: Bolgatanga Municipality Organized National Sanitation Day

By: Gladys Apuwen

The Bolgatanga Municipality yesterday, Saturday, October 4, joined the rest of the country to observe the National Sanitation Day, a presidential initiative aimed at promoting cleanliness and good sanitation practices across Ghana.

The exercise, which began at the Bolgatanga Jubilee Park, saw participants cleaning through the main lorry station, the central market, and other principal streets of the municipality. The activity was led by the Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Hon. Isaac Adongo, and the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Hon. Roland Ayo Atanga.

Speaking during the exercise, Hon. Isaac Adongo commended the people of Bolgatanga for coming out in their numbers to support the clean-up. He described sanitation as a shared responsibility and urged residents to embrace the President’s initiative to keep Ghana clean.
“Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our people begins with maintaining a clean environment,” Hon. Adongo stated. “Every first Saturday of the month has been set aside for this exercise, and I believe that within four to five months, our people will develop the habit of cleaning regularly. Cleaning should not only be a monthly activity, but part of our daily lives,” he added.
He emphasized that the exercise was not merely about sweeping and collecting waste but also about reinforcing the culture of cleanliness among citizens. “We are not just cleaning; we are conveying a message a message to restore our sense of responsibility toward our environment,” he said.
For his part, the MCE, Hon. Roland Ayo Atanga recalled that the National Sanitation Day was first initiated by the president in 2014 to promote cleanliness and environmental responsibility. He explained that the revival of the initiative marks a renewed commitment to make Ghana cleaner and healthier.
“The President’s vision is clear a cleaner Ghana for all. Now that he is back in office, he has reactivated this important national exercise,” Hon. Atanga said. He noted that the Bolgatanga exercise involved several stakeholders, including representatives from the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana National Fire Service, the Sanitation and Environmental Department, Assembly staff, members of the media, and various community-based organizations.

He encouraged residents to take personal responsibility for their surroundings, stressing that cleanliness must start from homes, schools, markets, and workplaces. “Keeping our environment clean is not the job of government alone; it is a collective duty. Let’s all take it upon ourselves to make Bolgatanga a clean and healthy municipality,” he urged.
Hon. Atanga also announced that future clean-up exercises would be rotated among different communities within the municipality to ensure that every area benefits from the initiative.
Adding his voice, Mr. David Abisiba, Managing Director of Clean Mop Company in Bolgatanga, commended His Excellency the President for the reactivation of the National Sanitation Day initiative. He explained that his company participated in the exercise to support the cause by providing cleaning materials and logistics.
He, however, called for intensified public education on sanitation to raise awareness of the importance of a clean environment. “There is a need for continuous education to help people understand why we must keep our surroundings clean. The Assembly could even consider introducing bylaws to regulate sanitation issues in the municipality,” Mr. Abisiba suggested. He further appealed to all residents to be responsible citizens by ensuring a cleaner and healthier Bolgatanga.
Also present was Mr. Ishmael Ashitey, the Upper East Regional Coordinator of Zoomlion Ghana Limited. He reiterated Zoomlion’s commitment to promoting clean sanitation and proper waste management practices. “Zoomlion remains dedicated to supporting government’s vision of a cleaner Ghana,” he said.
According to Mr. Ashitey, Zoomlion provided essential logistics such as gloves, shovels, wheelbarrows, waste trucks, and other tools to aid the success of the exercise.
The National Sanitation Day initiative continues to serve as a reminder of the importance of collective action in maintaining environmental cleanliness and public health. The Bolgatanga Municipality’s participation underscores its commitment to supporting national efforts toward achieving a cleaner Ghana.