The Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) organized a clean-up exercise in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis on Saturday, October 4, 2025, to mark the monthly national sanitation campaign. The National Sanitation Day (NSD) campaign aligns with the government’s commitment to create awareness and encourage community participation in environmental sanitation activities and practices, promote cleanliness to reduce sanitation-related diseases, and enhance tourism and local economic development.

A team of officers from the STMA, led by Mayor Hon. Fredrick F. Faidoo, went around to monitor the exercise to ensure compliance. The team first visited the Sekondi market, where residents, shop owners, and market women were vigorously engaged in the clean-up exercise. Most clogged gutters were unclogged with shovels and rakes, with the National Fire Service in full support to clean the drains and wash some selling areas in the Sekondi market. The team also visited Kojokrom, Adiembra, and the CBD of Takoradi.

Speaking to the general look at the involvement of populace in marking the day, the Western Regional Minister, Hon. Joseph Nelson hinted that the market women, public and residents must own the cleaning of their facilities adding “if we want to wait till the end of the month before the officials come to support in cleaning our facilities, we will not get anywhere, we must understand the health implications and make cleanliness a habit.”

For his part, the Mayor was not enthused about the compliance of the populace in marking the day. He explained that the team would strategize for the next edition to ensure full involvement and compliance.

He observed that most clogged drains were a result of plastic waste and indicated that waste segregation was paramount to achieving clog-free gutters and reducing ailments caused by stagnant water.

He indicated that desilting is a regular exercise by the Assembly, but added that the sanitation rounds had revealed the real situation in all places visited, which he would ensure immediate attention to ensure that the metropolis achieves the clean city status it desires.