The government has announced a nationwide cleanup exercise scheduled for Friday, July 10, and Saturday, July 11, as part of efforts to reduce the risk of flooding ahead of the peak rainy season.
The two-day exercise, being coordinated under the Post-Flood Mitigation Committee, will be held under the theme, “Our Actions, Our Future: Cleaning Ghana after the floods.”
According to a statement issued by the Presidency Communications Office, the initiative is aimed at mobilising citizens, state institutions and local authorities to clean communities, protect the environment and safeguard lives and property from the devastating effects of flooding.
The statement said President John Dramani Mahama has directed all government appointees, including Ministers of State, Chief Executive Officers, Members of Parliament, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), and heads of public institutions, to actively participate in the exercise.
“The President has accordingly directed that all government appointees… must step out of their offices, pick up tools and lead the cleanup efforts alongside members of their respective communities,” the statement said.
The exercise will begin on Friday, July 10, with personnel from the security agencies, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), and waste-management companies undertaking cleanup activities in designated areas.
On Saturday, July 11, members of the general public will join the security agencies and assemblies to expand the campaign across affected communities nationwide.
Activities will include desilting choked drains to improve water flow, sweeping and clearing sand, weeds and debris from major roads, streets and highways, as well as cleaning public spaces such as markets, lorry parks, recreational parks and communal waste collection points.
To support the exercise, the government has directed all MMDAs to work closely with waste-management companies to provide adequate logistics, including refuse trucks, gloves, shovels and other cleaning equipment at designated collection points.
Assemblies have also been instructed to ensure the immediate evacuation of all silt and refuse collected during the exercise to prevent the waste from being washed back into drainage systems during subsequent rains.
The Presidency described the nationwide cleanup as a critical intervention and a wake-up call, noting that indiscriminate littering and plastic pollution have contributed significantly to clogged drains and avoidable flooding across the country.
It called on all Ghanaians to participate fully in the exercise, stressing that community discipline and collective responsibility are essential to protecting lives, homes and livelihoods.
The statement concluded with the campaign’s rallying call: “Clean Ghana, Save Lives.”
