Seventh Day Adventist Church mobilises Adentan community in nationwide sanitation drive

The Seventh Day Adventist Church's South East Ghana Union has thrown its weight behind the government's sanitation initiative, mobilising the Adentan community in Greater Accra to tackle environmental challenges exposed by recent devastating floods.

During a two-day cleanup exercise that concluded on Sunday, the church dredged blocked drains and cleared overgrown vegetation in the community, demonstrating how religious organisations can play a pivotal role in environmental management. Pastor Dr Samuel Kwaku Dorgbetor, Communication Director of the South East Ghana Union Mission, stressed that sanitation is not solely the responsibility of assemblies and waste collectors, but a collective duty requiring community participation.

A shared responsibility

Pastor Dorgbetor emphasised that the principle of cleanliness should extend beyond places of worship to homes and public spaces. "We as religious keep our places of worship clean why can't we also keep our dwelling places and community neat and clean," he questioned, challenging Ghanaians to view environmental stewardship as both a civic and spiritual obligation.

The pastor noted that genuine Ghanaian citizenship and authentic worship of God are inseparable from proper waste management and environmental preservation. He called on all religious bodies across the country to actively support President John Dramani Mahama's nationwide sanitation directive, which was announced following the flooding that devastated parts of Greater Accra and other regions.

Why it matters for Ghana

Ghana's recurring flooding problem has become increasingly costly. The recent floods in Greater Accra forced many families, including church members, to evacuate their homes for days, with some suffering losses in the millions of Cedis. These incidents underscore how poor sanitation and blocked drainage systems create cascading economic damage that extends beyond property loss to disrupted livelihoods and business activity.

By mobilising faith communities, the church is tapping into trusted leadership structures that reach millions of Ghanaians weekly. Religious institutions have historically been catalysts for social change in Ghana, making their involvement in environmental campaigns particularly valuable. When pastors and church leaders publicly champion sanitation, they reinforce the message at grassroots level and encourage parishioners to view cleanup efforts as spiritually meaningful rather than merely governmental.

The Adentan initiative also highlights a practical truth: durable solutions to Ghana's sanitation challenges require sustained individual and community action, not just state resources. As urbanisation continues and populations in Greater Accra swell, the burden on formal waste management systems intensifies. Empowering communities to prevent drain blockages and manage waste at source offers an immediate, cost-effective complement to assembly and municipal efforts.

Building momentum

The church's initiative presents a template for other communities. By partnering with local assemblies rather than working in isolation, the South East Ghana Union demonstrated how civil society and government can collaborate effectively. The presentation of cleanup results to assembly officials formalised the partnership and created accountability.

For the government's sanitation directive to succeed, such grassroots momentum is essential. Infrastructure and enforcement matter, but behavioural change—the willingness of ordinary citizens to dispose of waste responsibly and maintain their surroundings—forms the foundation of any lasting environmental improvement.