Government has declared Friday, July 10, and Saturday, July 11, 2026, as National General Cleaning Days in seven regions affected by the recent floods.
The two-day exercise, announced by the presidency, is under the auspices of the Post-Flood Mitigation Committee and forms part of efforts to mobilize citizens to clean communities and prevent further flooding.
In a statement issued on Monday July 6, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister for Government Communications and Spokesperson to the President, said the initiative is to “secure our environment and safeguard lives across the country.”
It comes a week after floods claimed at least 13 lives and displaced over 85,000 persons across seven regions.
To be held under the theme “Our Actions, Our Future: Cleaning Ghana after the Floods,” the exercise will focus on desilting choked drains to improve water flow ahead of expected heavy rains; sweeping and clearing sand, weeds, and debris from roads and highways; and cleaning public spaces such as markets, lorry parks, recreational parks, and communal waste collection points.
“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,” the statement added.
According to the statement, President John 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 personally lead clean-up activities in their respective communities.
“This is a critical nationwide exercise, and all citizens are strongly encouraged to fully participate in it,” the statement also said.
The exercise will begin on Friday, July 10, with personnel from the security services, Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs), and waste management companies undertaking cleanup operations.
The general public will join the exercise on Saturday, July 11, to scale up the nationwide cleanup campaign.
The presidency also directed all MMDAs to collaborate with waste management companies to provide logistics, including refuse trucks, gloves, shovels, and other cleaning equipment at designated collection points.
Assemblies have further been instructed to ensure that all silt and refuse collected during the exercise are evacuated immediately to prevent them from being washed back into drains.
The presidency urged citizens to “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. Clean Ghana, Save Lives,” the statement concluded.
