Former Accra Mayor and Member of Parliament for Ablekuma South, Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, has called for the dismissal of metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) who fail to address sanitation challenges, saying local authorities must be held accountable for results.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Friday, July 17, 2026, on the growing concerns over poor sanitation and flooding in parts of the country, Mr Vanderpuije said district chief executives must take decisive action to enforce sanitation regulations and prevent illegal developments, particularly on waterways.
“They must make decisions, they must act, and we should see results. And if they don’t do it, they must be fired,” he said.
The former mayor disclosed that he had recently confronted one municipal chief executive over what he described as inaction on sanitation issues.
“I had to call an MCE three days ago, and I said, look, I’m going to report you to the Chief of Staff and to the President and get you fired,” he said.
According to Mr Vanderpuije, continued construction on waterways and indiscriminate dumping of waste point to weak enforcement by local authorities.
“Building in waterways for about three months is skipping and dumping around the issue. It’s not good. That is what is happening,” he said.
He said Parliament, particularly its committees responsible for sanitation, has a role to play in ensuring that local authorities deliver on their mandate through effective oversight.
“I think Parliament can play a role; our committees on sanitation can play a role. But the bottom line is that we have to all come to a final conclusion that something has to change and we are ready for that change,” he said.
Mr Vanderpuije stressed that improving sanitation would require a change in attitude from both public officials and residents, insisting that MMDCEs should be judged by measurable outcomes rather than promises.
“It has to start with our committees in Parliament; it has to start with our MCEs,” he said. “We are in times that we cannot dance around issues.”
