The Northern Region is to host the forthcoming National Sanitation Exercise, which would take place on February 7, Mr Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, a Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development has announced.

Mr Vanderpuye, who made the announcement at a meeting with metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) in the Northern Region in Tamale on Tuesday, said the choice of the region to host the national exercise formed part of efforts to bring governance to the doorsteps of the people.

The meeting with the MMDCEs was to share ideas on how to coordinate the National Sanitation Exercise in the region to ensure success.

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development in collaboration with the Regional Coordinating Council, has drawn a comprehensive programme, which involves a week-long prior visit to communities to interact with traditional leaders and people in the region to seek their support for the exercise.

The government, three months ago, launched the National Sanitation Exercise and set aside every first Saturday of every month as National Sanitation Day for the citizenry to clean their surroundings to rid the country of filth.

Mr Vanderpuye urged the media to devote more time to issues of sanitation to generate consciousness in the people to support the exercise to ensure success.

Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna, Regional Minister said the government would be working with the traditional authorities to take the lead in the exercise.

Alhaji Amadu Seidu, Member of Parliament for Yapei Kusawgu, who also attended the meeting, said cleanliness must be a collective responsibility of all and urged everyone “to keep the fire of sanitation burning”, to sustain the exercise.