President John Dramani Mahama yesterday led a nationwide clean-up exercise in flood-affected communities, joining residents of Tse Addo, Alajo and 37 Military Hospital to desilt choked drains and inspect the distribution of relief items.
The start of the two-day national exercise in flood-affected communities received an encouraging response from a cross section of the public across the country, particularly in the national capital, Accra.
Notable among the eminent personalities who participated in the exercise were Vice-President, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang; Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II; the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Ocloo; the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama; First Deputy Governor, Dr Zakari Mumuni, and Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies, Joseph Siaw Agyepong.
Others were political leaders, chiefs, opinion leaders, students, sanitation workers and members of the public.
At Tse Addo, the President stated that the volume of plastic waste and sand removed from the drain told the story of the challenges that faced the country.
He observed that the accumulated silt had reduced the drain’s capacity to carry water effectively, and cautioned against the old practice of leaving dredged silt by the roadside where the rain washed it back into the drains.
“As part of this exercise, we must ensure that after removing the silt, we have the necessary capacity to transport it away and dispose of it at appropriate locations,” he said.
If done consistently, he added, the drains would regain their full capacity within a year or two.
Commendation
The President commended the impressive turnout and commitment of residents, and disclosed that after the exercise, the military and other security services would continue dredging major watercourses to ensure drains had proper outlets into wetlands.
President John Dramani Mahama (2nd from right), interacting with a worker during the cleaning exercise. Looking on are some dignitaries
He called for the exercise to become a continuous national effort, proposing that “at least once every month, we should set aside a day for all of us to come together and clean our communities”.
At Alajo, President Mahama thanked the Armed Forces, security services, traditional leaders, including Nii Ga, King Tackie Tawiah II, and all residents who participated.
He said the recent floods had been devastating, but the nation must demonstrate resilience.
He warned against the attitude of the vulture that waited for the rains to stop before repairing its roof, only to realise the roof no longer needed repair.
“We must act now,” he stressed.
The President identified two major challenges at Alajo, namely silt accumulation and the presence of plastics, household waste, discarded building materials, old furniture and even dining tables in the drain.
President Mahama also called for a change in attitude, stating that drains were not dumping grounds.
He urged residents to use skip containers placed across the city for responsible waste disposal. He acknowledged that two days would not be enough to complete the exercise, but reiterated his plan to institutionalise a monthly clean-up day.
“This reflects the values we were taught traditionally,” he said, adding that urbanisation and anonymity had led some to abandon those values. “We must restore the discipline of keeping our surroundings clean.”
The President disclosed that the Minister of Finance had released GH¢150 million to support dredging and other flood-intervention activities.
He said the military would continue the exercise after the two-day programme, and that additional backhoes would be provided to remove silt and load it into trucks for proper disposal, otherwise the efforts would be in vain.
At the 37 Military Hospital, the President described the floods as devastating, with NADMO recording about 13 deaths and about five or six persons unaccounted for.
An estimated 58,000 people were temporarily displaced.
He said the Minister of Finance had released about GH¢200 million to NADMO for relief items, and that distribution, which had covered the Central, Western and Volta region, was ongoing in Accra. Items included food, mattresses, buckets and other necessities.
He also acknowledged donations from philanthropic Ghanaian businesses, including diapers, detergents, antiseptics, disinfectants, bleach, Indomie noodles and drinks, which NADMO was distributing to intended beneficiaries.
President Mahama presented a portion of the relief items to the 37 Military Hospital, recognising its role as the national emergency and trauma centre. “We cannot distribute these items and leave you out,” he said.
He thanked the management, medical professionals and staff of the hospital for their dedication, and commended all traditional leaders and Ghanaians who turned out for the exercise.
“Together, we can keep our environment clean, reduce flooding and build a healthier and more resilient nation,” he said.
