From Accra to Bolgatanga, district assemblies are stepping up their sanitation game — not just for the glory, but for the good of their people.

How District Assemblies Are Competing for the Cleanest Municipality Award — And Why It Matters.

In a country where waste management and sanitation often take a back seat to politics and paperwork, a quiet but powerful revolution is brewing. It’s driven not by budgets, but by recognition. And it’s transforming how local governments engage with their communities.

Welcome to the Cleanest Municipality Challenge — a nationwide recognition campaign led by Sanitation Networks, Ghana (SaNeG).

🏆 The Clean Competition

Launched in 2024, the Sanitation and Water Resources Protection Awards introduced a highly anticipated category: Cleanest District or Municipality of the Year. What began as a symbolic honor has evolved into a fierce yet friendly competition between district assemblies across Ghana.

From urban municipalities like Ayawaso West to rural districts like Afigya Kwabre, local leaders are sweeping the streets, cleaning the gutters, and mobilizing communities — all to win the gold.

🛠️ What It Takes to Win

The award isn’t just about looking clean on the day of inspection. It’s about systems, sustainability, and citizen engagement. Assemblies are scored using SaNeG’s transparent Sanitation Scorecard, which measures:

  • ✅ Waste collection coverage

  • 🧼 Presence of public bins & cleanliness of markets

  • 📣 Community engagement & awareness campaigns

  • 🧪 Innovative waste management solutions

  • 📊 Sanitation budget allocation & expenditure tracking

  • 🛑 Enforcement of sanitation by-laws

  • 👥 Evidence of public participation in clean-up efforts

📍 Case Study: The Ayawaso West Turnaround

Once criticized for overflowing gutters and poor waste disposal, Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly shocked critics when it rose to the top three finalists in 2024. What changed?

  • 🔁 They introduced a “Zero Waste to Drain” campaign.

  • 👷 They partnered with Eco-Agent youth groups for door-to-door education.

  • 🚮 They installed 140 branded bins in public areas.

  • 🧾 They digitized sanitation fines and enforcement reporting.

“The competition made us rethink sanitation as a civic culture, not just a budget line.”
– Municipal Environmental Health Officer, Ayawaso West

🎯 Why It Matters

Beyond trophies and certificates, the challenge has real-life results:

  • 🏘️ Cleaner communities improve public health

  • 📉 Reduced flooding and cholera cases

  • 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Stronger citizen-government collaboration

  • 🧑‍🎓 Greater youth involvement through SaNeG’s Eco-Agents

  • 🌍 Progress toward SDG 6 (Clean Water & Sanitation) and SDG 13 (Climate Action)

📣 Voices from the Field

“For the first time, sanitation officers are proud of their work. People are seeing the results and demanding more.”
– Local Assembly Member, Sunyani East

“We used to wait for Accra to act. Now, we compete to lead.”
– District Chief Executive, Bunkpurugu-Nakpanduri

🚀 Looking Ahead

With the upcoming awards season, over 120 districts are expected to participate. New categories are being introduced, including:

  • 🏫 Cleanest School District

  • ♻️ Most Innovative Waste Recycling Program

  • 🎤 Best Sanitation Media Campaign

📝 Want Your District to Compete?

Assemblies can register for the upcoming awards at
👉 [www.saneg.org/awards]
or contact awards@saneg.org

Deadline for entries: October 15, 2025

✅ Final Word

Sanitation isn’t just about sweeping the streets — it’s about sweeping in change. And thanks to the Cleanest Municipality Challenge, Ghana’s districts are turning that vision into reality — one clean corner at a time.

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