Greater Accra Regional Minister hails Nationwide Cleanup exercise

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mrs Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the two-day nationwide cleanup exercise, describing it as a major step towards tackling flooding and poor sanitation, while warning that authorities would clamp down on persons who continued to pollute the environment and obstruct waterways.

The Minister made the remarks after touring some of the region’s worst flood-affected communities, including Nungua, Alajo, Tse Addo and Apenkwa on Friday, and Alajo, Madina and Abelemkpe on Saturday, to assess the progress of the nationwide sanitation campaign.

She said the exercise had significantly improved the condition of drains and waterways in the affected communities and demonstrated what could be achieved when government institutions and residents worked together towards a common goal.

Mrs Ocloo commended the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana National Fire Service, the Ghana Immigration Service, the National Cleanup Assistance Trust, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), sanitation workers, volunteers and residents for their commitment and support throughout the exercise.

She said their collective efforts had contributed immensely to the successful removal of refuse, silt and other materials that had blocked drains and increased the risk of flooding in many parts of the region.

The Minister noted that the quantity of waste removed from drains and waterways had exceeded the expectations of the organisers, describing the situation as a reminder of the need for residents to adopt responsible waste disposal practices.

Mrs Ocloo stressed that environmental sanitation remained a shared responsibility and should not be left to government or the assemblies alone.

She urged residents to make cleanliness part of their daily lives by properly disposing of refuse, keeping drains free from waste and discouraging practices that degraded the environment.

The Minister cautioned that the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council, in collaboration with the MMDAs and the security agencies, would intensify the enforcement of sanitation regulations against individuals and businesses that dumped refuse into drains, built on waterways or engaged in activities that contributed to flooding.

She said authorities would also undertake targeted demolition exercises to remove structures that obstructed the natural flow of water where necessary, adding that such measures were essential to protecting lives and property.

Mrs Ocloo further warned traders and market operators against ignoring directives issued during sanitation exercises, stating that those who defied official instructions in future risked having their goods confiscated.

She disclosed that more than 300 additional trucks had been deployed during the exercise to transport the huge volumes of waste generated after the initial fleet proved inadequate for the scale of work across the region.

The Minister said relief items had already been distributed to all 27 flood-affected districts through the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, while contingency funds approved by the President had supported ongoing desilting, dredging and other emergency interventions.

Mrs Ocloo assured residents that the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council would sustain the clean up campaign through continuous monitoring, public education and stricter enforcement of sanitation laws.

She appealed to residents to maintain the momentum created by the exercise, saying a cleaner, safer and flood-resilient Greater Accra could only be achieved if every citizen accepted responsibility for protecting the environment.

By Enoch Ntiamoah Siaw