Christian Council Backs Mahama's Clean-Up Call, Urges Nation-Wide Participation

The environment is a gift from God, and we must take care of it... I urge Ghanaians to join hands in this national clean-up exercise.

• Rev. Dr. Cyril G.K. Fayose, General Secretary, Christian Council of Ghana

The Christian Council of Ghana has thrown its support behind President John Mahama's declaration of a two-day national clean-up exercise, urging churches, Christian groups and the wider public to take part in the July 10 and 11 campaign aimed at tackling the country's worsening sanitation and flooding challenges.

Rev. Dr. Cyril G.K. Fayose, General Secretary of the Council, in a statement on Thursday, July 9 described the initiative as a timely intervention that should trigger not only cleaner communities but also a deeper national commitment to environmental responsibility, volunteerism and lasting behavioural change.

The Council noted that Ghana's sanitation crisis - marked by indiscriminate waste disposal, choked drains, recurring floods, sanitation-related diseases and pollution - demands a united response from government, citizens, faith-based groups and civil society. It stressed that environmental cleanliness should not be treated as an occasional civic activity but as a continuous moral and spiritual responsibility.

According to the Council, caring for the environment is both a civic duty and an act of faithful stewardship, rooted in the Christian obligation to protect God's creation and safeguard communities for future generations. It therefore called on Christian denominations, churches, para-church organisations, ecumenical bodies and the general public to actively participate in the clean-up exercise and embrace environmental care as a sustained way of life.

The Council also used the occasion to highlight its recently launched Environmental Care and Cleanliness (ECC) Programme, themed 'A Clean Environment – Our Responsibility!', which it said will be intensified through church mobilisation, door-to-door public education, community clean-up campaigns, youth volunteer activities and social media advocacy.

And while many have raised concerns about the environmental impact of human activities, the Christian Council is urging Ghanaians to take responsibility for the care of the environment. This includes not only the clean-up exercise but also adopting practices that reduce waste, promote recycling and protect natural habitats.

The national clean-up exercise is expected to bring together citizens, faith-based groups and civil society in a united response to the sanitation crisis, and the Council is optimistic that the initiative will yield positive results.

The Christian Council of Ghana has been at the forefront of promoting environmental care in Ghana, and this initiative is a testament to its commitment to safeguarding the country's natural resources for future generations.

In a related development, the Council has called on corporate organisations, philanthropic foundations, development partners, civil society groups and other stakeholders to partner with it in implementing the ECC programme from May 2026 to May 2028. This partnership is expected to scale up the impact of the programme and promote a culture of environmental care in Ghana.

The statement called on Ghanaians to use the national clean-up exercise as a turning point in the country's fight against poor sanitation and environmental neglect. It is a clarion call to action, and the Council is urging citizens to respond positively to the challenge.