The Upper East Regional branch of the Media Coalition Against Open Defecation (M-CODe) has stepped up its campaign against poor sanitation through intensified education and environmental cleanliness.
At the Bolgatanga Central Market, members of M-CODe, made up of journalists from the region, engaged traders on good sanitation practices and the health implications of insanitary conditions.
The Coalition also partnered with The Street Janitors, a local youth volunteer group that undertakes weekly clean-up exercises, to clean the Bolgatanga Central Market and promote improved hygiene practices.
The exercise, under the national theme: “WASH for a Healthy Ghana, Everyone, Everywhere,” and supported by the Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS), formed part of activities marking the 2025 Ghana Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Week.
The campaign was part of M-CODe’s broader initiative to raise awareness among traders and residents on the dangers of poor sanitation, while advocating the provision and use of clean toilet facilities in homes and public places to help end open defecation.
M-CODe believes that with stronger collaboration between civil society, volunteers, traders, and the Municipal Assembly, Bolgatanga can reclaim its former glory as Ghana’s cleanest town.
Ms Gladys Apuweni, the Upper East Regional Treasurer of M-CODe, said the exercise formed part of the Coalition’s strategy to intensify community-level action against open defecation and unsanitary practices.
“Sanitation is a shared responsibility. Our campaign is not only about cleaning but also about changing attitudes. We observed worrying practices such as traders dumping human waste into drains. These actions fuel cholera, typhoid, and malaria outbreaks. That is why we directly engaged traders to encourage safe disposal of waste, the use of toilet facilities, and personal hygiene,” she said.
Ms Apuweni explained that the initiative complemented M-CODe’s nationwide sensitisation programmes on radio and through community outreach.
She added that the Coalition had adopted the theme: “Dignity for All, Toilets for All: End Open Defecation Now” for this year’s celebration to emphasise the urgent need for improved sanitation.
Mr Clement Ayamga, Leader of The Street Janitors, commended the partnership, stressing that sustainable sanitation required collective effort and urged all stakeholders to join in.
“We are not paid to do this. We do it because we believe cleanliness is everyone’s duty. With M-CODe’s support, we feel encouraged to continue. But we also need logistics such as gloves, boots, and wheelbarrows to scale up our efforts,” Mr Ayamga said.
Some market traders applauded the exercise and admitted that poor attitudes had worsened sanitation challenges in the area and called for consistent public education and strict enforcement of sanitation by-laws.