President John Dramani Mahama has urged Ghanaians to change their attitude towards waste disposal, stressing that indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drains continues to worsen flooding across the country.
Speaking after participating in a clean-up exercise at Alajo as part of the two-day national clean-up exercise, the President said. At the same time, the recent floods have caused widespread destruction; Ghanaians must work together to build a more resilient nation by keeping drainage systems free of waste.
According to him, many drains are clogged not only with silt but also with plastics, household waste, and other bulky items that obstruct the free flow of water. Mahama said the drain at Alajo, which forms part of the Odaw Stream, contained a variety of discarded items, including engine blocks, old furniture, and dining tables.
"The floods have been devastating, but we must show that we are a resilient nation and we can bounce back even better. We are not going to be like the vulture who will say that when the rain stops he will repair his roof, and when the rain stops he says, oh, but it's not raining so there's no need to repair it, and so we have to clear the drains," he said.
"We've just worked this Alajo drain. It's part of the Odaw Stream, and there are two problems in it. There's silt, and then there's also plastics and household waste. You'll find out that in a drain like this, there are engine blocks, old furniture, dining tables, everything you can find in that drain. We must change our attitudes and stop the reckless dumping of things into the drain. The drains are not garbage instruments. If you want to dispose of something, you know how to dispose it," he added.
