President John Dramani Mahama has issued a directive to local governments nationwide, instructing them to withhold building permits for any construction projects that fail to incorporate adequate sanitation facilities, in a renewed campaign to curb open defecation.
Speaking at the launch of the country’s Voluntary National Review of progress on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Mr. Mahama called the ongoing sanitation crisis “a matter of dignity and equity,” lamenting that open defecation remains common in parts of the country despite decades of public health initiatives and regulatory frameworks.
“It is unacceptable that in 2025, open defecation persists in parts of Ghana,” Mr. Mahama said. “This is not just a public health issue. It reflects systemic gaps in investment, enforcement, and civic engagement.”
Open defecation remains a persistent public health challenge in many communities, contributing to water contamination and the spread of disease. Although local bylaws across Ghana already require sanitation infrastructure as a precondition for building approval, enforcement has been inconsistent.
“All district assemblies have in their by-laws that you can’t obtain a building permit without providing sanitation facilities,” the president noted. “So how is it that people are still defecating in the open?”
He cited cultural attitudes and weak oversight as compounding factors, even referencing local humor that romanticizes the practice. “Some say they prefer it because they get ‘air conditioning at their rear end,’” he said.
Mr. Mahama’s comments come as Ghana faces pressure to meet its SDG commitments on health, sanitation, and infrastructure. He urged municipal and district assemblies to strengthen enforcement mechanisms and deny permits for noncompliant developments—residential, commercial, or public.
“The district assemblies must enforce their bylaws,” Mr. Mahama said. “No one should be allowed to build without sanitation facilities.”
The directive is expected to heighten scrutiny of local building practices and intensify efforts to improve sanitation access across the country, especially in rural and underserved areas.
Source:TheDotNews