Mahama tasks MMDAs to lead post-flood sanitation exercise

President John Dramani Mahama has directed Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to spearhead a nationwide sanitation exercise in flood-affected regions.

The directive was announced in a statement signed by the Minister for Government Communications and Presidential Spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, on Monday, July 6.

The government, under the auspices of the Post-Flood Mitigation Committee, has declared Friday, July 10, and Saturday, July 11, 2026, as National General Cleaning Days in the seven regions affected by the recent floods.

According to the Presidency, the two-day exercise, themed “Our Actions, Our Future: Cleaning Ghana after the floods,” is intended to mobilise communities to restore sanitation and reduce the risk of further flooding.

To ensure the exercise achieves its objectives, the President directed MMDAs to coordinate closely with security agencies, waste management companies and residents.

“All MMDAs are directed to collaborate with waste management companies to provide adequate logistics, including waste trucks, gloves, shovels, and other cleaning tools at designated collection points,” the statement said.

The Presidency further instructed the assemblies to ensure that waste collected during the exercise is promptly removed.

“Assemblies must also ensure that all silt and gathered refuse are evacuated immediately to prevent them from washing back into the drains,” the statement added.

On Friday, July 10, personnel from the security agencies, MMDAs and waste management companies will begin the cleanup, while members of the public will join the exercise on Saturday, July 11.

The nationwide exercise will prioritise desilting choked drains to improve the flow of rainwater, clearing sand, weeds and debris from roads and highways, and cleaning public spaces such as markets, lorry parks, recreational parks and communal waste collection points.

The Presidency described the initiative as “a critical intervention and a vital wake-up call for the nation,” warning that indiscriminate littering and plastic pollution have clogged drainage systems and contributed to devastating floods.

The announcement comes after catastrophic rainfall that began on June 29, 2026, triggered widespread flooding across southern Ghana.

The disaster has claimed at least 12 lives and displaced more than 38,800 people, with the Greater Accra, Central and Western regions among the hardest hit.

The government expects the sanitation exercise to strengthen flood prevention efforts while encouraging greater community participation in protecting the environment.