President John Dramani Mahama has announced a two-day National General Cleaning Exercise in seven regions affected by the devastating floods of June 29, which resulted in the loss of about 13 lives and displaced thousands of households.
The exercise, scheduled for Friday, July 10, and Saturday, July 11, forms part of government’s efforts to support affected communities, restore sanitation and reduce the likelihood of future flooding.
Organised under the supervision of the Post-Flood Mitigation Committee, the cleanup will be held under the theme “Our Actions, Our Future: Cleaning Ghana after the floods.”
The initiative is expected to bring together citizens, public officials, security agencies and waste management companies to clear debris, improve drainage systems and restore affected communities.
In a statement issued on Monday, July 6, government spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu described the exercise as a key national intervention and encouraged Ghanaians to actively participate.
President Mahama has also directed government appointees, including Ministers of State, Members of Parliament, Chief Executive Officers of state institutions, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), and heads of public institutions to step out of their offices and personally lead cleanup activities in their respective areas.
The exercise will be implemented in phases, with security agencies, MMDAs and waste management companies taking charge of activities on Friday, while the general public joins the cleanup on Saturday.
The operation will focus on removing silt from blocked drains to enhance water flow, clearing sand and debris from roads and highways, and cleaning public spaces including markets, lorry parks, recreational areas and communal waste collection points.
“For far too long, indiscriminate littering and plastic pollution have clogged our drainage systems, contributing to devastating, preventable floods that destroy livelihoods and claim precious Ghanaian lives,” the statement said.
To ensure the success of the exercise, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) have been directed to collaborate with waste management companies to provide essential logistics such as waste trucks, gloves, shovels and other cleaning equipment.
The assemblies have also been tasked to ensure that all waste and silt collected during the exercise are immediately evacuated to prevent them from being washed back into drainage systems.
Government has appealed to citizens to support the initiative, stressing that maintaining a clean environment is critical to protecting lives and preventing future flood disasters.
