He noted that managing faecal waste from homes and institutions coupled with the rising environmental concerns, required sophistication and dynamics from the assemblies to improve the overall sanitation in the country.

Dr Arthur gave the admonition at a meeting held in the Central Region to deliberate with key stakeholders on development plans to re-position the Region on Monday.

In line with it, he said the Government together with a host of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) had launched a programne dubbed "Sanitation Challenge "to help encourage MMDAs to prioritise the dire sanitation situation that consumed huge percentage of their revenues.

The Challenge formed part of national efforts to promote competition among the assemblies to partner their citizens, innovators and solvers, as well as academic institutions, among others, to improve liquid and solid waste management.

Among the key objectives, were to use innovative approaches to transform and improve sanitation service delivery and to create public-private partnership with incentives for private entrepreneurs and businesses to provide sanitation services for the urban poor.

The MMDAs would be expected to come out with solutions to eliminate open defecation, reduce the sanitation gap between the rich and poor, and increase access to basic hygiene not only at home, but also in public facilities such as schools and hospitals.

The initiative would put urban sanitation on the agenda with cities, municipalities and districts competing with each other to identify smart strategies for urban sanitation services. Mr Spencer Taylor, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Central Region Development Commission, (CEDECOM) rallied the support of all to focus on re-branding the Region through investment promotions, infrastructural development, capacity building and human resource development.

In addition to that, he mentioned the promotion of peace and security, creation of land banks for development, environmental protection, promotion of education, health and agriculture, youth and sports and tourism as vital sectors that would receive paramount attention.

On Economic potentials of the Region, he said the Region held the key to Ghana’s development since it was endowed with numerous natural and human resources that could contribute to the nation's accelerated development.

"We have gold, cocoa, rubber, coconut and oil palm, timber, Forest reserves, Wildlife, arable lands and Fisheries among others that must be tapped to propel the growth of the region," he said.

Sadly, he noted,  despite these vast resources,  the Region was beset with a number of challenges which ranged from the effects of galamsey on water bodies and farm lands, poor road networks and the lack of an airport to boost tourism.

Mr Taylor called on all stakeholders, investors and the citizenry to come on board to strategize and bring prosperity and development to the masses.