Ayariga calls for stronger government-faith collaboration to tackle sanitation

Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, has called for enhanced collaboration between the government and faith-based organizations to tackle pressing national development issues, with a particular focus on sanitation. Ayariga made this statement during a meeting with the leadership of the Christian Council of Ghana in Accra, where they discussed various areas of mutual interest, such as sanitation, education, healthcare, religious tolerance, and the construction of the National Cathedral.

Ayariga emphasized that enhancing sanitation would necessitate a shift in public attitudes toward waste management, stressing the importance of responsibility at both the household and community levels. He suggested waste separation at the source and proposed that households employ at least three dustbins to facilitate proper segregation and disposal of waste. Moreover, Ayariga advocated for renewed collaboration with churches to bolster sanitation efforts and revitalize the National Sanitation Day initiative.

In response, the Christian Council expressed its willingness to partner with the Ministry via its Environmental Care and Cleanliness Programme, as well as support initiatives aimed at improving sanitation nationwide. The National Cathedral also emerged as a key topic in the discussions, with the Council pledging its support for mobilizing resources, both locally and internationally, to complete the project.

Rev. Dr Cyril Fayose, the Council's General Secretary, appealed to the government to establish the necessary conditions for the National Cathedral's progress, while Ayariga noted that concerns surrounding the Cathedral should be addressed through dialogue and consensus. He clarified that while the government is not opposed to having a National Cathedral, it stressed the need for stakeholders within the Christian community to reach a unified position on crucial matters such as its location, cost, and financing.