The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has officially celebrated the end of a week-long national sanitation and beautification effort, urging all Municipal, Metropolitan, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to keep their areas clean for the upcoming Christmas celebrations.
Accompanied by the Deputy Minister, the Minister toured important ceremonial routes, such as the John Evans Atta Mills Highway and other sites within the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly and Burma Camp.
This initiative aimed to improve the visual appeal of the capital and avoid health issues as the country gets ready to host international guests and dignitaries for the holidays.
During the visit at Burma Camp, Hon. Ibrahim interacted with personnel from the Ghana Armed Forces, the Prison Service, and the Immigration Service who were actively involved in the clean-up effort.
The Minister praised the collaborative efforts on the ground, noting the Ghana National Fire Service using water tankers to assist the military with weeding, while other services concentrated on removing debris and clearing the gutters.
He remarked that this hands-on cooperation between the security services and the La Dade-Kotopon Municipal Assembly (LaDMA) establishes a “gold standard” for leadership throughout the nation.
“Public service means you are not alone; once you join, your privacy is gone. This Christmas is about cleaning for disaster prevention,” the Minister said while watching the work.
He stressed that since the municipality is home to the President at Jubilee House and most of the diplomatic corps, it must be the cleanest area in the country to uphold Ghana’s international reputation.
The Minister revealed that the government will ramp up the effort next week by sending out specialized road-sweeping and washing vehicles to “show the true colour of the roads.”
He also instructed LaDMA’s leadership to supply paint for the medians and walls along the presidential and ceremonial routes.
“We want the world to see Ghana as a tidy and clean nation. From the airport to the barracks, every place must be cleaned and painted. We will not permit unwanted billboards on the medians,” Hon. Ibrahim stated.
The Minister praised the security agencies for their proactive approach, highlighting that cleanliness is a fundamental discipline of the military.
He encouraged them to keep up the momentum into the new year, announcing that the first national sanitation exercise of 2026 is set for the first Saturday in January.
The Minister wrapped up by reminding all public officials that while ministers may dress in suits, the work of national development is mainly “field work” that demands hands-on commitment.
