Local governance and community sanitation in Ghana: A call for practical reform

INTRODUCTION:

I have not travelled to ev­ery city in Ghana, but my sample size is large enough to suggest that there is something bizarrely wrong with our local governance posture. Although I am not fully aware of the legal mandate of the local assemblies, I dare to guess that it includes maintaining sanitation and order in the local environment.

The rise of Buzstop Boyz has exposed the laziness of many assemblies. These volunteers are solving problems in a practical, passionate, and even fashionable way. Their actions have restored hope to citizens that good change is possible. I am standing on their story to conclude that efficiency in local government is not a fantasy — it is achievable.

This article is written from a place of total ignorance of any current efforts being made or the full scope of the law and technol­ogy available. My thoughts are a direct response to the sorry sights I see daily and my musings on how we could improve the situation using compassion, and innovation. It is simply the plea of a concerned citizen reflecting on what meets the eye and proposing a sense of duty might suggest.

The Current Crisis

Central Government is failing when the local assemblies are failing.

Every community should fall under the jurisdiction of a local assembly. Yet, the grievous sights and smells that accost you even in residential areas suggest a major neglect. There is a clear need for well-trained, courteous, and knowl­edgeable sanitation officers in our communities.

The immediate surroundings of a property accessible to house­holds should be the responsibility of each household. This includes weeding and desilting gutters. In some cases, venturing into certain areas may be risky, but that does not excuse the overall neglect. Sani­tation must start with households.

Sanitation Enforcement

and Inspections

Each community should have at least two major inspections per month. Surprise inspections can be included to monitor consis­tency. The assembly must carry out mandatory inspections after rainstorms and windstorms—not to penalise—but to assess damage and intervene quickly.

Where households neglect their surroundings, sanitation officers must act with both education and firmness. After one or two warn­ings or small spot fines, cases can be escalated to a sanitation court, where penalties should include the cost of rectifying the issue.

Fines and fairness

The goal of enforcement is correction, not punishment. Initial fines should not exceed GH¢100. Spot fines as low as GH¢20 can serve as educational tools. Repeat offences without valid reasons, like health emergencies, should result in stronger penalties, but old age and poverty must never be criminalised.

Assemblies must intervene and support vulnerable individuals, es­pecially the elderly, without support systems. Community engagement should restore the chemistry of extended family values.

The role of technology: Author­ities may be tempted to overload the app with high-level revenue features. That will be counterpro­ductive. Technology cannot inspect — humans do. If bribed inspectors issue clean reports, the app has no way of detecting it. The solution must be strategic and start mod­estly, gaining trust through visible impact.

The Local Government Minis­try should develop a unified app (with USSD access) serving all assemblies. Each assembly would access its own dashboard on this platform.

The app should have two main goals: accountability and citizen empowerment.

Core functions: – Register households and collect key contact data – Enable emergency alerts and communication – Process all fines transparently – Verify officer credentials – Log location-specific reports via GPS.

Citizen features:

Submit feedback on officer behaviour – Challenge sanitation decisions with evidence – Register proxy users for households without phones

Failure to adopt such a system suggests that corruption is being preserved by design. Data abuse for political vendettas or private disputes must be prohibited.

Rewarding

responsibility:

The rise of Buzstop Boyz has exposed the lethargy of many assemblies. Their initiative has proven that ordinary citizens can organise themselves to bring lasting change to their environments. The support they have received locally and internationally reflects a collec­tive hunger for cleaner, better-man­aged communities.

Equally noteworthy is the leadership of the current Foreign Minister in response to the Volta Region flooding, and the civic in­terventions of Ibrahim Mahama of Engineers and Planners. The Chan­nel One team, led by Bernard Avle and Samuel Atta Mensah, have also stepped into roles that exposed the limitations of the existing public service structure. Their efforts were swift, competent, and pas­sionately executed, setting a new standard for what community-fo­cused leadership looks like.

The app should track civic re­sponsibility. Citizens who consis­tently comply or help report haz­ards can earn Local Government Points. These can be redeemed for discounted permits, special recog­nition, or fast-tracked services.

Potential Assembly members, sanitation officers, and community leaders can be evaluated based on their history of involvement. This helps promote leadership built on service, not ambition.

Improving personnel Officers must be mature, trained, and discerning. They should solve problems, not intimidate citizens. I define civic witchcraft as the abuse of power that denies others the peace or dignity they deserve.

Officers who major on minor issues should be reassigned. KPIs should focus on visible improve­ment, not paperwork. Major issues like choked gutters and construc­tion debris must be prioritised.

Restoring home discipline Modern homes often outsource basic responsibility. In the past, my brother Franklin and I weeded our surroundings without being asked. Today, many youth ignore such du­ties while glued to screens. Parents pay strangers — some of whom may be a threat — to handle what children should do.

This undermines discipline and exposes households to risk. Chil­dren who never learn to manage a home may one day destroy the homes they inherit.

Order and national dignity: Clean environments refresh the mind. That is why people feel renewed after visiting places like Dubai. National pride starts with household order. Disorder spreads from homes to communities, and eventually to the state.

Conclusion: Let this article not be another complaint. Let it spark community conversations, local innovations, and new leadership. A clean Ghana starts with weeding your frontage.

Let us act not because we are watched but because we care.

“A better Ghana begins one swept gutter at a time.”

“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much.” (Luke 16:10)

BY ADADE E. CAN-TAMAKLOE