The Environmental Sanitation Policy (Revised 2010) was developed to address persistent challenges of poor sanitation and their implications for public health, environmental degradation, and economic productivity. Ghana’s rapid urbanisation, population growth, and changing lifestyles have led to an exponential increase in solid and liquid waste generation, overwhelming the existing collection, treatment, and disposal systems. Inadequate infrastructure, weak institutional capacity, and low public awareness have contributed to recurrent flooding, pollution, and disease outbreaks such as cholera and malaria.

The aim of the policy is to develop a clear and nationally accepted vision of environmental sanitation as an essential social service and a major determinant for improving health and quality of life. It seeks to ensure effective waste management, drainage, and hygiene promotion across all sectors through sustainable practices, strengthened institutional coordination, and active community participation. The objectives include developing and enforcing legislation for environmental sanitation management; ensuring the availability of standards, laws, and regulations; containing and reducing the negative impact of poor sanitation; promoting adequate treatment and final disposal of all waste types; and supporting research, capacity building, and public education.

The policy adopts strategies centred on seven focus areas: capacity development; information, education and communication (IEC); legislation and regulation; levels of service; sustainable financing and cost recovery; research and development; and monitoring and evaluation. The approach emphasises the “polluter pays” principle, cost recovery, and community participation.

Implementation is multi-sectoral and decentralised. The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) serves as the lead coordinating institution, supported by the Environmental Health and Sanitation Directorate (EHSD) and the National Environmental Sanitation Policy Coordinating Council (NESPoCC). At the local level, Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) are responsible for service delivery, enforcement, and community engagement, with active participation from the private sector, NGOs, and CBOs. Key partners include the Ministries of Health, Environment, Water Resources, and Education, as well as regulatory bodies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Complementary instruments such as the National Environmental Sanitation Strategy and Action Plan (NESSAP), Strategic Environmental Sanitation Investment Plan (SESIP), and District Environmental Sanitation Strategies and Action Plans (DESSAPs) operationalise the policy at national and local levels. Together, they provide a coherent framework for achieving sustainable environmental sanitation, safeguarding public health, and advancing Ghana’s development goals.