by Alex Osei-Boateng
ACCRA, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo on Monday launched a national campaign on sanitation, pledging his commitment to rid the country of filth.
"Successive Ghanaian governments have tried to ... inculcate a habit of greater discipline in the care of our surroundings. It has not succeeded. My government intends to walk a new path," he said.
In leading by example, Akufo-Addo indicated that every government department and agency had assigned two officers to be designated sanitation marshals to oversee compliance of by-laws on sanitation in their offices.
Additionally, a corps of young people called the national sanitation brigade will see to the enforcement of rules and regulations on sanitation whether in state or private establishments or households.
"The personnel of this outfit would conduct regular visits to all offices to ensure that there is compliance and where it so requires take legal action against those infringing on the laws," he said.
The national sanitation campaign comes at the backdrop of a promise by the president to make the national capital Accra the cleanest city in Africa by 2020.
It is expected to change the attitude of Ghanaians as regards proper sanitation and to consolidate existing national policies on sanitation.
