Grassroot Citizens Needs More Education on the National Sanitation Day

To observe the National Sanitation Day (NSD), I joined the people of the community in which I live to teach to do that.This was their first time since the inception of the day.

Their turn out and comments suggested that the people don't understand the whole issue. They thought it's something the chief dreamt of and asked for an announcement to be made to that effect. But honestly, the chief himself forgot about this exercise. When I went to him to ask for his permission to use the information center to educate and call for more people to turn out, he told me the event eluded him and even the announcement made in his name was not from him. I was allowed anyway. After the education, I saw quite a number of people coming to join later.

But I won't blame them. I have problem with our various institutions who are failing to function. Why? This NSD awareness has not gone to the grassroots. Where it even did, the people don't understand the whole concept. In my community, the people don't know why they should be called to do communal work on Saturday when they all agreed on Wednesdays for that. So who is to be blamed?

The single problem I have about my country is 'institutions don't work.' They don't work. Taking this NSD for instance, 1. How much has the Information Ministry, through their Information Services Department (ISD) which is the outreach arm of the ministry tasked to "Create awareness of government policies, programs and activities," done about this NSD policy? Growing up in my 'country'
call Have, those days I frequently sees the Information vans coming to explain issues to my country men/women. Where are they now?

2. NCCE, who is also to educate us on our civic responsibilities and other issues, where are they?

3. The Ministry of Local Government &Rural Development (MoLGRD) itself is doing little to drum home this policy. I only hear advertisements on top radio stations which is even few and far between. The people who will really join this exercise are not the "big" men/women but the market women, the farmers... But how many of them listing to these English speaking radio stations? Why can't the Ministry bring down their adverts to the grassroot radio stations which the people mostly listing too?

4. Assuming ISD, NCCE & MoLGRD don't have money to do massive education, I believe they can liaise with the various Regional House of Chiefs (RHC) to achieve this at low or no cost. The chief I was talking about is a member of the Volta RHC. They are with their subjects. Please ISD, NCCE, MoLGRD and other government bodies, get to them through their umbrella body. When they are well educated on policies, they can supplement your efforts by educating their subjects.

We can't continue like this. Institutions must wake up...

Divine K. Kpe