The Ashanti Regional branch of the Media Coalition Against Open Defecation (M-CODE), with support from World Vision-Ghana, has embarked on a week-long monitoring and accountability campaign in Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
The campaign is aimed at ensuring that Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) deliver on the government’s new policy that makes sanitation a Key Performance Indicator (KPI).
As part of the initiative, the Ashanti M-CODE team visited some MMDAs, including Oforikrom, Asokwa and Kwabre East Municipalities in the Ashanti Region, to assess their budgetary allocations, plans, challenges and the way forward in the fight against open defecation in their respective jurisdictions.
The initiative, which will be implemented across seven regions, seeks to strengthen public accountability by monitoring the performance of MMDCEs in improving sanitation and eliminating open defecation.
As part of the campaign, each region will undertake tailored accountability activities.
The exercise will focus on performance benchmarks, sanitation budgets, enforcement of sanitation by-laws, and the implementation of policies aimed at improving environmental cleanliness.
The Ashanti Regional M-CODE will also focus on engagements with traditional authorities, faith-based leaders and Assembly Members to ensure their roles and contributions toward promoting sanitation and supporting efforts to eliminate open defecation in their communities.
The campaign will feature the branding of both M-CODE and World Vision Ghana, accompanied by the hashtags #SanitationKPI, #EndODM-CODE and #WVGSanitation to amplify public engagement across traditional and digital media platforms.
M-CODE believes the campaign will deepen public understanding that sanitation is no longer merely a public health concern but an important governance indicator on which MMDCEs will be assessed.
The coalition expects the initiative to secure measurable commitments from MMDCEs, traditional rulers and Assembly Members toward improving sanitation services and ending open defecation.
It also aims to establish a credible evidence base that will support quarterly monitoring of sanitation performance and strengthen advocacy for improved environmental sanitation nationwide.
The organisers expressed confidence that collaboration between the media, local authorities, traditional leaders and development partners will help accelerate Ghana’s efforts to eradicate open defecation and promote cleaner, healthier communities across the country.
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