President Urges Ghanaians to "Clean Ghana, Save Lives"

President John Dramani Mahama has called on Ghanaians to embrace environmental responsibility by participating in a nationwide cleanup exercise, urging citizens to rally behind the campaign slogan, "Clean Ghana, Save Lives," as the country prepares for the peak of the rainy season.

The appeal forms part of a two-day nationwide cleanup campaign scheduled for Friday, July 10, and Saturday, July 11, under the theme "Our Actions, Our Future: Cleaning Ghana after the floods." The exercise is being coordinated by the Post-Flood Mitigation Committee.

In a statement issued by the Presidency Communications Office, the President described the campaign as a critical intervention aimed at preventing flooding, protecting lives and property, and promoting environmental sanitation across the country.

The statement announced that President 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 leave their offices and lead cleanup activities in their respective communities.

"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 intensive cleanup operations.

The campaign will continue on Saturday, July 11, when members of the public are expected to join the security agencies and local assemblies to expand the exercise across communities nationwide.

Cleanup activities will focus on desilting choked drains to improve the free flow of stormwater, clearing sand, weeds and debris from major roads and streets, and cleaning public places including markets, lorry parks, recreational parks and communal refuse collection points.

To ensure the success of the exercise, the government has directed all MMDAs to work with waste-management companies to provide adequate logistics, including refuse trucks, gloves, shovels and other cleaning equipment at designated collection points.

The assemblies have also been instructed to evacuate all silt and refuse collected during the exercise immediately to prevent the waste from being washed back into drainage systems.

According to the Presidency, indiscriminate littering and the improper disposal of plastic waste have significantly contributed to blocked drains and recurring floods in many parts of the country.

It therefore urged citizens to demonstrate discipline and civic responsibility by participating fully in the exercise, stressing that sustained community action is essential to protecting lives, homes and livelihoods from future flooding.

The statement concluded with a call for collective action, urging all Ghanaians to remember the campaign's rallying message: "Clean Ghana, Save Lives."