Mahama Proposes Mandatory Monthly Clean-Up Days to Combat Urban Filth
- President John Dramani Mahama called for a monthly national clean-up exercise to tackle Ghana's persistent sanitation and flooding challenges
- Mahama made the proposal at Alajo, Accra, during a two-day post-flood cleanup campaign, warning residents to stop dumping waste in drains
- The Ministry of Finance has released GH¢150 million for dredging streams and drainage channels across the country
President John Dramani Mahama has called for the establishment of a monthly national clean-up day, arguing that one-off sanitation exercises are insufficient to address Ghana's deepening flooding and waste management crisis.
In a report by Graphic Online, the President made the proposal on Monday during a two-day post-flood cleanup campaign held at Alajo in Accra, where communities have been among those most affected by recent flooding.
Source: Facebook
Mahama's case for sustained sanitation efforts
President Mahama told attendees that the scale of the problem demanded a regular, committed national response rather than isolated interventions.
"Two days are not enough to finish this work, but we are going to institute it so that at least one day every month all of us should come out and clean our surroundings," he said.
The President attributed part of the challenge to rapid urbanisation, which he argued had eroded the communal cleaning traditions that once kept Ghanaian neighbourhoods tidy. He stressed that environmental responsibility needed to be restored as a shared national value.
He also directed sharp words at residents who dispose of waste in drainage channels, warning that such behaviour directly causes the blockages responsible for flooding.
"The drains are not garbage instruments. If you want to dispose of something, you know how to dispose of it," he stated.
GH¢150 million released for dredging works
Beyond the call for civic action, the President confirmed that the Ministry of Finance has released GH¢150 million to fund the dredging of streams and drainage channels nationwide.
Mahama added that the government intends to procure specialised heavy machinery to remove accumulated silt permanently, ensuring that future rainfall does not wash debris back into cleared waterways.
The funding and equipment commitment signals an attempt to combine community-level engagement with structural infrastructure improvements as part of a broader strategy to reduce the flood damage that has repeatedly struck Accra and other urban centres.
Ghana has long grappled with flooding linked to poor drainage maintenance and widespread indiscriminate dumping, with Accra's low-lying communities bearing the heaviest toll during rainy seasons.
GMet warns of thunderstorms this afternoon
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported earlier that the Ghana Meteorological Agency released its afternoon weather forecast for Friday, July 10, 2026.
Cloudy skies are expected to dominate across the country from afternoon through into the night.
Thunderstorms with rain are likely across the middle, transition, and northern sectors, with coastal areas facing slight to moderate rain.
Source: YEN.com.gh
