Ayariga joins Accra traders to promote cleanliness on National Sanitation Day

Written by; Regina Bless

The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, has joined the Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, and traders at Tudu to participate in the September edition of the National Sanitation Day exercise.

The exercise, held on Saturday, September 5, 2026, formed part of an inspection tour by the Minister and the Mayor to assess participation and compliance among traders and businesses in the Central Business District.

The exercise began at the Kinbu Traffic Light and continued through Tudu and other major streets within the Accra Metropolitan area.

During the inspection, Mayor Allotey briefed the Minister on the level of compliance among traders and outlined measures being implemented by the Assembly to maintain cleanliness in the Central Business District beyond the monthly sanitation exercise.

At Tudu, Mr Ayariga, encouraged by the level of participation, took a broom from one of the traders and personally swept a section of the street. The Minister and the Mayor also picked up litter along the route, demonstrating their commitment to making sanitation a shared responsibility.

Addressing traders, Mayor Allotey commended them for cleaning their surroundings but urged them to maintain the standard throughout the working day.

He stressed that the National Sanitation Day initiative was intended to become a sustained practice rather than a once-a-month activity. He therefore encouraged traders to sweep their immediate surroundings regularly, preferably every hour, to help maintain a clean environment.

According to the Mayor, maintaining clean trading spaces was essential to protecting the health of both traders and customers. He noted that residents should not have to spend their hard-earned income treating illnesses that could have been prevented through proper sanitation and good environmental practices.

Mr Allotey also disclosed that additional public waste bins would be introduced in the city to promote sustainable waste management and make it easier for residents and traders to dispose of refuse properly.

Later, Minister Ayariga joined the Ayawaso East Municipal Assembly to observe the exercise in parts of Nima and Mamobi, where he interacted with residents and encouraged them to regularly clean their surroundings.

The exercise reinforces calls for residents, traders and businesses to take collective responsibility for keeping Accra clean and improving public health.