The Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, has urged churches to take a leading role in Ghana’s fight against poor sanitation and environmental degradation, insisting that the challenge requires collective action beyond political boundaries.
Mr Ayariga said sanitation was a national concern that affected every Ghanaian, regardless of political affiliation, and therefore should not be reduced to a partisan issue.
He was speaking in Accra on Friday at the launch of the Second Ecumenical Convention of the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG), held on the theme: “United in Christ, Transforming Society through Creation Care.”
According to the Minister, government, political parties, religious organisations, businesses, communities and individuals must all contribute to addressing the country’s sanitation and environmental problems.
He said the solution must also begin with responsible behaviour at the individual level, urging citizens to take greater responsibility for the condition of their surroundings.
Mr Ayariga appealed to the public to stop throwing sachet-water waste into drains or from moving vehicles, while shop owners should ensure that pavements around their businesses are kept clean.
He also urged parents to instil environmental responsibility in children from an early age.
The Minister warned that poor sanitation had consequences far beyond untidy surroundings, including the spread of disease, proliferation of rodents, blocked drains, loss of lives and increased expenditure by the State.
He added that dirty and degraded environments could also undermine efforts to attract investment.
Mr Ayariga therefore encouraged churches to use their extensive influence within communities to promote responsible environmental practices among their members.
He said the Christian Council of Ghana could also help mobilise young people for environmental protection and climate action while partnering government, the private sector, civil society organisations and development partners on sanitation, afforestation, waste management and renewable energy initiatives.
Vice Chairman of the Christian Council of Ghana, Rt. Rev. Dr Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye, said the Church must go beyond worship and become a practical agent of transformation in society.
He noted that although Christianity arrived in Ghana as a divided Church, various denominations had increasingly worked together to serve the country and promote unity.
Rt. Rev. Dr Opare Kwakye said the convention offered an opportunity for Christians to translate their unity into practical action capable of addressing pressing national challenges.
Referencing Psalm 24:1, he said the earth belonged to God and Christians had a responsibility to protect and care for His creation.
He cautioned against interpreting the biblical concept of dominion over creation as permission to exploit the environment, stressing instead that it placed a responsibility on humanity to act as responsible stewards.
He expressed concern over Ghana’s persistent challenges with filth, open defecation, environmental degradation and the destruction and pollution of water bodies.
He observed that although communities often mobilised to clean up after floods, many people returned to their previous habits once the waters receded.
He therefore called for a renewed national consciousness that would make environmental responsibility a permanent part of citizens’ daily lives.
The General Secretary of the CCG, Rev. Dr Cyril Fayose, described Ghana’s environmental situation as a crisis affecting rivers, streams, forests, land, sanitation and waste management, with serious implications for public health, livelihoods and future generations.
He challenged the Church to demonstrate its unity through practical national service and ensure that conventions produced more than speeches and resolutions.
According to him, the true measure of the convention should be the commitments, partnerships and measurable actions that emerge from it.
Rev. Dr Fayose said the Council wanted environmental stewardship to become a sustained culture within congregations, schools, institutions, homes and communities, rather than an occasional campaign.
He said the CCG would continue to work with government, public institutions, civil society and other stakeholders to promote environmental protection and responsible citizenship.
He further called for greater investment in the youth, saying young people should be empowered to become agents of transformation, entrepreneurship and responsible citizenship, while financial systems should support responsible enterprise and community wellbeing.
