The Christian Council of Ghana has called for a long-term approach to sanitation, warning against the practice of waiting for floods before launching nationwide clean-up exercises.
The Council said sanitation and environmental management should be treated as continuous responsibilities rather than emergency measures introduced in response to disasters.
Speaking at the launch of the Second Ecumenical Convention, Vice Chairman of the Christian Council, Right Reverend Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye, expressed concern that the recent nationwide clean-up exercise could lose momentum now that the immediate threat posed by flooding had reduced.
He noted that although the clean-up exercise following the floods was necessary, the country must not return to a situation where communities are only mobilised to clean their surroundings after major flooding incidents.
According to him, the end of the floods should not signal the end of efforts to improve sanitation and prevent future disasters.
“The floods are over, and it looks like we are returning to our old ways, waiting for the next floods before we organise another general clean-up,” he said.
The Christian Council commended President John Dramani Mahama and his administration for responding to the flooding situation with a nationwide clean-up exercise.
However, the Council stressed that such interventions would have a greater impact if they formed part of a sustained national sanitation strategy.
It further called for consistent efforts to keep drains, waterways and public spaces clean, while addressing environmental practices that contribute to flooding.
It urged government, local authorities, communities and residents to maintain regular sanitation activities to help reduce the risk of flooding and improve public health.
