President John Dramani Mahama on Friday, July 10, joined residents of Tse Addo in the Greater Accra Region for the National General Clean-up Exercise, where he personally took part in desilting a clogged drain as part of efforts to improve sanitation and reduce flooding.
The President visited the area after receiving a briefing from officials of the local assembly on the clean-up operation.
He then joined residents, security personnel and other stakeholders in clearing refuse and removing silt from drainage channels.
Addressing participants, President Mahama thanked residents for their strong turnout and commitment to the exercise, saying the condition of the drain underscored the need for improved waste disposal practices and regular maintenance of drainage systems.
“I want to use this opportunity to thank all the residents who have come out to help with this exercise. Clearly, we can see what the cause of our problem is. We’ve just desilted this. Look at the plastics that we are taking out of it,” he said.
The President noted that the volume of silt and plastic waste removed from the drain illustrated how years of poor sanitation and inadequate maintenance had reduced the capacity of drainage channels to carry stormwater, increasing the risk of flooding.
He also cautioned against the practice of leaving dredged silt along roadsides after clean-up exercises, warning that rainfall often washes the debris back into drains, undoing the work that has been carried out.
“I’ve gone round the city, I’ve seen the turnout has been very good,” he said, adding that the military and other security services would continue dredging major waterways to improve the flow of water into wetlands.
The National General Clean-up Exercise is being held across seven flood-affected regions as part of the government’s post-flood response to improve sanitation, clear choked drains and reduce the risk of future flooding following the devastating June 29 floods.
Organised by the Post-Flood Mitigation Committee, the two-day exercise is being carried out in phases. The first day is led by personnel from the security services, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and waste management companies, while members of the public are expected to participate on the second day.
