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President declares two days of general cleaning
The Government, under the auspices of the Post-Flood Mitigation Committee, has declared Friday, July 10, 2026, and Saturday, July 11, 2026, as National General Cleaning Days in the seven regions affected by the recent floods.
Under the theme “Our Actions, Our Future: Cleaning Ghana after the floods,” this two-day national exercise seeks to mobilise our collective duty to clean our communities, secure our environment and safeguard lives across the country.
According to the statement, this is a critical, nationwide exercise and all citizens are strongly encouraged to fully participate in it.
Against this backdrop, the President has accordingly directed that all government appointees, including Ministers of State, CEOs, Members of Parliament, Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives MMDCEs), and Heads of Public Institutions, step out of their offices, pick up tools, and lead the cleanup efforts alongside members of their respective communities.
To ensure a structured, highly coordinated, and effective exercise, the activities have been scheduled as follows- Friday, July 10, 2026: Personnel from all security agencies, the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs), and waste management companies will commence the cleanup.
Additionally, Saturday, July 11, 2026: The general public will join the security agencies and assemblies to scale up the exercise.
During this two-day exercise, efforts will be heavily focused on:
⁃ Desilting choked drains to ensure free, uninterrupted water flow ahead of the heavy rains. ⁃ Sweeping and clearing sand, weeds, and debris from major roads, streets, and highways, ⁃ Cleaning up public spaces, including markets, lorry parks, recreational parks, and communal waste collection points.
This two-day exercise is a critical intervention and a vital wake-up call for the nation. For far too long, indiscriminate littering and plastic pollution have clogged our drainage systems, contributing to devastating, preventable floods that destroy livelihoods and claim precious Ghanaian lives
All Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) are directed to collaborate with waste management companies to provide adequate ogistics, including waste trucks, gloves, shovels, and other cleaning tools at designated collection points.
Assemblies have been tasked to ensure that all silt and gathered refuse are evacuated immediately to prevent them from washing back into the drains.
“Let us rise together and show that the Ghanaian spirit of community, discipline, and unity is alive and well. Protect your home, protect your neighbour, and let us clean our beloved homeland,” the statement concluded.
Medical Doctor and dietician, Dr Bernice Korkor Asare, has urged women to take greater responsibility for their lifestyle choices, particularly their eating habits and levels of physical activity, to help reduce their risk of developing breast cancer.
According to her, although, some breast cancer risk factors, such as family history and certain reproductive factors, may not be within an individual’s control, lifestyle choices offer an opportunity for people to take preventive action.
She made this known during a talk on the topic: “Role of diet in breast cancer prevention” organised by Times Ladies Association of the New Times Corporation, publishers of The Ghanaian Times and The Spectator, in Accra on Thursday.
The event themed “Breast Cancer Awareness- Promoting Early Detection, Healthy Eating and Prevention.” 
She noted that having a risk factor did not automatically mean a person would develop breast cancer, but could increase the likelihood of developing the disease compared with someone without that particular risk factor.
“Having close relatives who have had breast cancer, particularly a mother, sister or daughter, may increase the risk, although not everyone with a family history will develop the disease,” Dr Asare opined. Read More.
By Adizatu K. Munkaila
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A group of compassionate friends from Innovation Gospel Impact last Friday visited the management, teachers and learners of the Street Academy in Accra.
The visit was to interact to get a deeper insight into the operations of the Academy that houses hundreds of street and underprivileged children and find ways to support them.
The team was led by Rev. Dr Isaac Apenteng Yeboah, a former Director for West African Mailbox Club and Director for Prisons Support Foundation, and Rev. Dale Sutherland from Washington DC.
The call, according to the visitors was occasioned by reports about the struggles of the Academy despite the occasional support it enjoys from individuals and some corporate entities.
Briefing them, the Founder and Executive Director of the Academy, Dr Ataa Lartey, thanked them for the concern showed, indicating that “this is a major boost for both teachers and learners; knowing that their plight is known by people outside their premises.”
According Dr Lartey, the Academy had planned to undertake a number of project to enhance teaching and learning and also procure facilities for the children with keen interest in sports but had to shelve those plans for lack of finance.
He told the team that their biggest concerns were the monthly utility bills that takes a toll on their finances.
“We have a piece of land we planned to turn into an astro turf pitch to train the younger ones whose interests lies in making a career out of football, however, we have been unable to commence because there is no money now,” he said.
Dr Lartey expressed gratitude to the teachers who have dedicated their lives to training these children, rather than going for well-paying jobs and hoped that with time, their conditions of engagement would improve.
Moved by the plight of the Academy, the group donated a cash amount of Gh₵3,000 to settle its water bills.
They described as unfortunate the conditions of learners and teachers of the Academy and pledged to continuously support their operations to realize the dream to build a better future for the unfortunate children.
The group offered to support the school with its monthly utility bills, feeding and staff allowance and urged the Academy staff to remain in constant touch with them.
The Street Academy is located at the Accra Art Center and offers brilliant but needy the chance to pursue their educational dreams by enrolling them in public schools with others offered training in sports and cultural activities.
By Spectator Reporter
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