President John Dramani Mahama has declared Friday, July 10 and Saturday, July 11, 2026, as National General Cleaning Days in the seven regions affected by the recent floods, directing all government appointees to personally lead cleanup activities in their respective jurisdictions.
The directive, announced in a statement issued by the Presidency under the auspices of the Post-Flood Mitigation Committee, forms part of government’s efforts to mitigate the impact of flooding and improve environmental sanitation ahead of the expected heavy rains.
The nationwide exercise, themed “Our Actions, Our Future: Cleaning Ghana after the floods,” seeks to mobilise citizens to clean their communities, clear blocked drainage systems and reduce flood risks.
President Mahama has instructed Ministers of State, Chief Executive Officers of state institutions, Members of Parliament, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), as well as Heads of Public Institutions to leave their offices and actively participate in the exercise alongside residents.
According to the statement, personnel from the security agencies, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), and waste management companies will begin the exercise on Friday, July 10.
The general public will then join the security agencies and assemblies on Saturday, July 11, to expand the cleanup operation across the affected regions.
Government said the exercise will focus primarily on desilting choked drains to improve water flow before the onset of heavier rains.
Other activities will include sweeping and clearing sand, weeds and debris from major roads, streets and highways, as well as cleaning markets, lorry parks, recreational parks and communal waste collection points.
The Presidency described the initiative as a critical intervention, arguing that years of indiscriminate littering and plastic pollution have obstructed drainage systems and contributed to preventable floods that have destroyed property, disrupted livelihoods and claimed lives.
To support the exercise, all MMDAs have been directed to work closely with waste management companies to provide adequate logistics, including waste trucks, gloves, shovels and other cleaning equipment at designated collection points.
The assemblies have also 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 statement called on all Ghanaians to participate actively in the exercise, stressing that environmental cleanliness is a shared responsibility.
It urged citizens to demonstrate community spirit, discipline and unity in protecting lives and property through improved sanitation, concluding with the message: “Clean Ghana, Save Lives.”