The Deputy Minister for Defence, Ernest Brogya Genfi, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to restoring communities affected by the devastating June 29 floods, saying the military has been fully mobilised to lead the nationwide clean-up exercise ordered by President John Dramani Mahama.
Speaking during a visit to assess ongoing clean-up operations, Mr. Brogya Genfi said the two-day exercise, directed by President Mahama following the floods that claimed about 30 lives and left large parts of Accra submerged, is aimed at clearing refuse, desilting drains and preventing disease outbreaks.
He noted that the President’s personal involvement in the exercise underscores the urgency of the response and the government’s determination to protect lives and property.
“The Commander-in-Chief, President John Dramani Mahama, is himself on the ground, so we cannot fail the citizens. At the Ministry of Defence, we are providing the strategic direction for the military to deliver the support needed to clear the refuse and debris,” he noted.
According to the Deputy Minister, the Ministry of Defence is providing strategic leadership while the Ghana Armed Forces deploy personnel and engineering units to clear debris, evacuate waste and desilt choked drainage systems across affected communities.
He observed that as military personnel removed accumulated refuse, residents continued to bring out more waste from their homes, highlighting the scale of the sanitation challenge facing the affected areas.
Mr. Brogya Genfi stressed that beyond clearing debris, government will intensify fumigation and disinfection of flood-hit communities to reduce the risk of disease outbreaks in the aftermath of the disaster.
“Beyond the clean-up, there will be a health response through fumigation and disinfection of affected communities so that we do not experience any disease outbreak,” he mentioned.
He also called for greater collaboration between government and Zoomlion Ghana Limited and other private sector, saying the magnitude of the clean-up operation requires additional logistical support.
He also commended the company for voluntarly releasing its semi-trailers for the carting of waste to dump sites.
“This exercise cannot rest on the shoulders of government alone. We need private sector support, which is why we are engaging the Jospong Group to provide the logistics required to complement the military-led operation,” he remarked.
The Deputy Minister said government officials had visited the Jospong Group of Companies to assess the company’s readiness to provide equipment and logistics to complement the military-led exercise.
He explained that military engineers have been deployed to undertake evacuation works and desilt drainage channels, but additional support from private sector partners will be critical to sustaining the operation.