From Sanitation to Streetlights: How Hon. Linda Ocloo is Redefining Leadership as Greater Accra Regional Minister

Designated in January 2025 under President John Dramani Mahama’s administration, Hon. Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo to take over the position as the Greater Accra Regional Minister after years of service as Member of Parliament for Shai-Osudoku Constituency. Ever since she assumed this new role, she has concentrated on practical initiatives focused on sanitation, environmental protection, infrastructure development, education, and accountability. Her leadership reflect a commitment to transforming Accra into a cleaner, safer, conducive and more inclusive region.

• Sanitation and Hygiene Campaigns

First and foremost, one of her significant interventions was the reintroduction of the National Sanitation Day. She announced that the last Friday of every month would be adhered as Sanitation Day across Greater Accra, with the aim of organizing communities, schools and institutions to deal with waste management and filth in the city.

In order for more engagement of people, she associated sanitation services to cultural celebrations. For instance, Homowo-themed clean-up campaigns, which commenced in Ga Mashie and extended to its environs inspiring broad citizen participation. By combining cultural pride with sanitation, she empowered joint responsibility for public sanitation.

• Infrastructure and Safety Improvements

Hon. Ocloo has proved strong commitment to enhancing community safety through infrastructure. She obtained 3,000 streetlights from the Ministry of Energy, giving about 100 units to various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies. This initiative is to help enhance visibility in communities when it is night time, curb crime, and make its environs safer.

Additionally, she has administered assemblies to curb the uncontrolled increase of billboards. By promoting collaboration with the police to implement bylaws, she emphasized the significance of order, safety, and eco- aesthetics in the region.

• Environmental Protection and Restoration

The Minister has also taken a strong stance on protecting Greater Accra’s natural resources. At the Kpone-Laloi Lagoon, she requested developers who had unlawfully filled parts of the waterbody to refill it at their own cost. This bold instruction bolstered the principle that violating environmental laws one can be sanctioned.

She has also reasserted government’s dedication to safeguarding the Sakumo Ramsar wetlands. In Tema, she confidently led a demolition exercise at the Ramsar site, eliminating illegal structures and restoring state authority over environmental sensitive areas. Her leadership in this initiative has been seen as a good defense of the region’s natural heritage.

• Education, Sports, and Social Welfare

Apart from sanitation and environmental protection, Hon. Ocloo has also focused on education and youth development. She collaborated with the Ministry of Education to commission an astro-turf sports facility in Weija-Gbawe. This project is designed to motivate youth engagement in sports and inspire talent development. She has also extended her warmly support to schools like Labone Senior High School in partnership with NADMO and the Ministry of Education, guaranteeing that institutions receive the needed assistance to enhance learning environments.

Her sympathy for marginalized groups has manifest in Accra, where she oversaw the allotment of over 500 hot meals to head porters and deprived persons in areas like Tudu and the Cocoa Marketing Board territories. These benevolent gestures accentuate her dedication to accountable governance and social welfare.

• Accountability and Leadership Standards

Possibly she has outstanding performance, and high level of accountability in governance. She has publicly admonished Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives for self-possessed, campaign their offices, and ruling out professional staff. Cautioning that non-performing officials should be cut out, raising standards both beyond the region.

Her parliamentary vetting, which extended for a minimum of ten minutes, reflected the trust lawmakers had in her ability to deliver. Since then, her strong stance on discipline and results has strengthen her image as a minister centered on integrity and efficiency.

Conclusion

During the beginning of her term as Greater Accra Regional Minister, Hon. Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo renowned herself as foresighted and substantial leader. Thus, reintroducing sanitation campaigns and setting up streetlights to protect the urban environs, supporting schools, and claiming accountability, she has exhibited a sense of balance of sympathy, discipline and visionary traits.

Her initiatives and activities indicate a leadership style that fuses community involvement with rigorous governance standards, offering hope for Greater Accra to become Ghana’s administrative hub as well as a change of sustainable and inclusive urban plan.