President John Dramani Mahama has called on Ghanaians to embrace a lasting culture of environmental cleanliness, stressing that sustained sanitation efforts are critical to reducing flooding and building more resilient communities.
Addressing residents during the National Clean-Up Exercise at Alajo on Friday, the President expressed appreciation to the Ghana Armed Forces, the security services, traditional authorities, including Nii Ga, and community members who turned out to support the nationwide initiative.
Reflecting on the recent floods that affected several communities, President Mahama acknowledged the devastation caused but urged citizens not to lose hope.
“The recent floods have been devastating, but we must demonstrate that we are a resilient nation and that we can recover and emerge stronger,” he said.
The President cautioned against delaying preventive measures, using a traditional proverb to illustrate the need for immediate action.
“We must not adopt the attitude of the vulture that says it will repair its roof when the rains stop, only to realise when the rains stop that there is no longer a need to repair the roof,” he remarked, urging residents to act now by clearing drains and waterways before future heavy rains.
President Mahama revealed that after desilting the Alajo drain, which forms part of the Odaw stream, authorities identified two major problems: years of accumulated silt and the indiscriminate dumping of plastics and household waste.
He noted that workers had removed various items from the drain, including concrete blocks, old furniture, dining tables and other discarded household materials, describing the situation as evidence of the need for a significant change in public attitudes.
“Drains are not dumping grounds,” the President stressed, encouraging residents to make use of skip containers provided across the city to ensure waste is properly collected and disposed of by waste management companies.
President Mahama announced that although the two-day National Clean-Up Exercise would make significant progress, it would not be sufficient to solve the country’s sanitation challenges. He therefore reaffirmed government’s commitment to institutionalising a monthly national clean-up day to ensure regular community participation in environmental sanitation.
He said the initiative seeks to revive the traditional values that encouraged communities to keep their surroundings clean, adding that rapid urbanisation and changing lifestyles have contributed to declining sanitation standards.
To strengthen flood mitigation efforts, President Mahama disclosed that the Minister for Finance had released GH¢150 million to support dredging of streams and other interventions aimed at addressing flooding across the country.
He further announced that the Ghana Armed Forces would continue dredging and desilting operations after the official two-day exercise, supported by additional specialised equipment, including backhoes, to remove and transport silt from drains to approved disposal sites.
According to the President, removing silt without transporting it away would undermine the entire exercise, as heavy rains would simply wash the debris back into the drains.
He concluded by thanking all volunteers, traditional leaders, security agencies and residents for their participation, giving special recognition to Nii Ga for his active involvement in mobilising support for the exercise.
President Mahama expressed optimism that through sustained collaboration between government and citizens, Ghana can maintain cleaner communities, reduce flooding and build a healthier, safer and more resilient nation.
Story: Patrick Asford Boadu
