President John Dramani Mahama has renewed his government’s commitment to environmental protection and sustainable development, announcing a series of youth-centered initiatives alongside the reintroduction of the National Sanitation Day (NSD) campaign.
Speaking at the launch on Saturday, September 6, President Mahama outlined key programmes under his government’s green agenda, with a focus on youth empowerment, afforestation, river protection, and strengthened local government accountability.
“As government, we are committed to protecting the environment through initiatives like the Blue Water River Guards and the Tree for Life Restoration,” he said.
Under the Blue Water programme, 2,000 young people will be trained in environmental protection and river conservation. The first phase will deploy 400 youth to guard and rehabilitate polluted river bodies, as part of efforts to combat illegal mining and safeguard Ghana’s fragile water resources
The Tree for Life Restoration initiative will engage young people in large-scale reforestation projects, focusing on degraded areas. President Mahama explained that the project will prioritize planting economically valuable species such as cocoa, palm, timber, and rubber—not only to restore ecological balance but also to create sustainable jobs.
“This initiative promotes afforestation and environmental sustainability, while creating employment opportunities for young people,” he noted.
To strengthen accountability in environmental governance, the President also announced a new performance assessment framework for Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs). The framework will include strict environmental sanitation indicators, ensuring that local leaders prioritize and invest in sanitation services in line with government commitments.
The unveiling of these initiatives coincided with the revival of the National Sanitation Day, which will now be observed nationwide on the first Saturday of every month.
