President John Dramani Mahama has warned Ghanaians against reckless waste dumping into drains, insisting that drains are not “garbage instruments”.
He issued the caution on Friday, July 10, during an inspection of the Alajo Drains as part of the two-day National Clean-Up Exercise, which runs through Saturday, July 11.
Accompanying the President were Greater Accra Region Minister Linda Ocloo and Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group, whose flagship company, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, deployed massive logistics for the operation.
Their presence underscored a unified front between government and private sector leadership in tackling the nation’s sanitation crisis.
President Mahama described the June 29 floods as a “wake-up call” for citizens to change their behaviour and take greater environmental responsibility.
He lamented the disturbing items found in the Alajo drain, part of the Odaw stream, including silt, plastics, household waste, engine blocks, old furniture, and even dining tables.
“One, 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 of it,” the President said.
He reminded Ghanaians of skip trucks placed across the city for proper waste disposal and announced plans to institute a monthly national clean-up day, reviving traditional values of keeping a clean environment.
He bemoaned that urban anonymity had led many to abandon those values and “live in filth”.
To support long-term flood mitigation, President Mahama disclosed that the Minister of Finance has released $150 million for dredging streams and related works.
He added that the military would continue drainage-clearing exercises beyond the two-day campaign and called for specialised equipment to remove and transport silt from drains.
“We must show that we are a resilient nation and we can bounce back even better,” he said, urging citizens not to adopt the attitude of the vulture who waits for rain to stop before repairing his roof—only to neglect it when the sun shines.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the national operation, Dr. Siaw Agyepong called for stronger enforcement of sanitation bye-laws, stressing that improved waste management infrastructure must be matched with strict compliance and effective supervision.
He noted that illegal dumping, particularly by commercial waste operators including tricycle collectors, continues to undermine sanitation efforts.
He urged authorities to ensure waste is transported to designated transfer stations and to strengthen monitoring at collection points.
He commended President Mahama for the clean-up initiative, describing it as an important step towards addressing Ghana’s sanitation challenges, but emphasised that lasting solutions require cooperation between government, private sector players, and citizens.