The Mayor of Accra, Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey, has reaffirmed his commitment to President John Dramani Mahama’s call for a clean and green Ghana, pledging intensified enforcement and education to tackle littering and poor sanitation in the capital.
Speaking during the 2025 National World Environment Day celebration, the Mayor described the President’s environmental message as an urgent wake-up call, particularly for Accra where flooding and plastic pollution continue to undermine urban sustainability efforts.
“The President’s message is more than a national appeal; it is a direct call to action for Accra. We cannot achieve a clean and green Ghana without first cleaning up our capital”
Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey, Mayor of Accra
Hon. Allotey criticised the rampant habit of discarding plastic waste onto streets and into drains, warning that Accra would not reach its development goals if residents did not take personal responsibility for sanitation.
He urged residents to use dustbins, stop indiscriminate dumping, and reduce dependence on single-use plastics. “Every resident must personally commit to ending littering,” he stated.
The Mayor announced a suite of new measures to be rolled out by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), beginning with the creation of a dedicated “sanitation court” aimed at speeding up prosecution of environmental offenders. According to him, stricter enforcement of existing bylaws will soon become the norm.
“But the AMA cannot do it alone. Real change starts with citizens taking responsibility for their surroundings,” he noted.
He revealed that waste sorting initiatives, already piloted in selected communities, would be expanded to cover public markets and transport terminals. Additionally, climate literacy campaigns will be intensified in schools, targeting younger generations with environmental stewardship education.
Backing the President
Mayor Allotey offered strong endorsement for President Mahama’s national anti-littering campaign, which includes a proposed 30-million tree planting drive, the annual Green Innovation Expo, and a calendar of regional cleanup events. These initiatives, he said, align fully with Accra’s long-term sustainability goals.
“Accra is fully behind these initiatives. We especially welcome the partnership to plant 30 million trees. Greening our city is vital for improving air quality, reducing flood risks, and strengthening our urban resilience”
Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey, Mayor of Accra
He noted that the Assembly was already identifying spaces for tree planting, including traffic islands, school compounds, and flood-prone zones. Partnerships with corporate organisations and faith-based groups are also being explored to scale up these efforts.
The Mayor called on residents to take ownership of the city’s environmental transformation, stressing that laws and policies will not succeed without a shift in behaviour at the individual and community level.
According to the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, “The President’s environmental message is being operationalised through local government action plans, but success depends on active public participation.”
Mayor Allotey further appealed to various sectors of society – schools, households, market traders, and transport unions – to become advocates of change and examples of responsible citizenship.
“Use the dustbins, stop dumping refuse into drains, and reject single-use plastics,” he urged.
He maintained that the goal of a clean and flood-resilient Accra would remain elusive unless sanitation is viewed as a shared responsibility. Enforcement would be firm, but public cooperation, he said, would ultimately determine the city’s success in reversing environmental degradation.
As President John Dramani Mahama’s environmental agenda gains momentum nationwide, Accra is being positioned as the leading example of what determined local action can accomplish when matched with national policy direction.
