The National General Clean-Up Exercise has commenced across seven regions affected by the devastating June 29 floods, with security personnel, local assemblies and waste management companies taking the lead in what government describes as a renewed push to reduce the country's growing flood risk.
The two-day exercise, coordinated by the Post-Flood Mitigation Committee, comes less than two weeks after torrential rains left at least 13 people dead, displaced thousands of residents and caused widespread destruction to homes, businesses and public infrastructure, particularly in the Greater Accra Region.
Today's activities are being led by personnel from the security services, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, alongside waste management firms. On Saturday, residents across the affected regions are expected to join the exercise.
Government shifts focus to prevention
The nationwide campaign reflects a broader effort to tackle long-standing sanitation challenges that continue to worsen flooding in many urban communities.
Held under the theme, "Our Actions, Our Future: Cleaning Ghana after the floods," the initiative seeks to encourage collective responsibility in protecting drains, waterways and public spaces.
President John Dramani Mahama has directed all government appointees, including ministers, Members of Parliament, chief executives of state institutions and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, to leave their offices and participate in clean-up activities within their communities.
The directive signals government's intention to place public officials at the forefront of community mobilisation rather than limiting the exercise to sanitation agencies alone.
Drains, roads and markets targeted
The clean-up will focus heavily on desilting blocked drains, removing sand and debris from major roads and clearing weeds that obstruct the flow of stormwater.
Markets, lorry parks, recreational grounds and communal waste collection points have also been identified as priority locations.
To support the operation, local assemblies have been instructed to work closely with waste management companies to deploy refuse trucks, shovels, gloves and other equipment. Authorities have also been directed to ensure that collected waste is transported immediately to designated disposal sites to prevent it from washing back into drainage systems during future rains.
Markets pause as communities join exercise
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Shamima Muslim clarified that while Friday is not a public holiday, normal commercial activities in some areas will temporarily give way to the sanitation exercise.
"Tomorrow is not a holiday. We are all coming to work tomorrow and we are all going to engage in the cleanup activity exercises at our workplace," she said in an interview on Thursday.
She explained that markets, shops and stalls, particularly in flood-prone communities, are expected to suspend operations between 6:00 a.m. and noon to allow sanitation teams to work safely and efficiently.
The exercise covers the Greater Accra, Volta, Central, Western, Western North, Ashanti and Eastern regions.
Government says the clean-up is more than an emergency response. It is part of a wider effort to build resilience against increasingly frequent floods, with authorities urging residents to embrace proper waste disposal and community sanitation as everyday responsibilities rather than seasonal campaigns.
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