By Alfred Asamoah
Residents across Accra and its surrounding communities on Saturday, July 11, turned out for the second day of the Presidential National General Clean-Up Exercise, responding to President John Dramani Mahama’s call for citizens to actively participate in keeping their communities clean as part of efforts to improve environmental sanitation, reduce flooding and promote public health. The nationwide exercise, which runs from Friday, July 10, to Saturday, July 11, 2026, is expected to continue in communities across the country.
Day two of the exercise, which focused mainly on garbage brought together government institutions, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), sanitation agencies, security services, community groups, traditional authorities and volunteers, who mobilised early in the morning to sweep streets, clear refuse dumps and desilt choked drains in support of the national sanitation campaign.
Across the western corridor of Accra, clean-up activities gathered momentum in communities including Mallam, Weija, the Toll Booth, Galilea, Tuba Junction, Tuba Roundabout and the Amanfrom enclave. Residents worked alongside assembly officials, sanitation personnel and volunteers to clear waste from public spaces and desilt drains, with many describing the exercise as a timely intervention to improve sanitation and safeguard lives and property during the rainy season.
Supporting the exercise, Zoomlion Ghana Limited deployed personnel, waste collection trucks, heavy-duty equipment and other logistics to facilitate refuse evacuation and desilting operations in several communities, complementing the efforts of local assemblies and residents.
Speaking to journalists on Friday, the Municipal Chief Executive for the Ga South Municipal Assembly, Hon. Moses Kabu Kubi Ocansey, said the exercise was in line with President Mahama’s directive for Ghanaians to leave their homes, workplaces and offices to clean their surroundings. He described the public response as encouraging, noting that the impressive turnout reflected a growing appreciation of environmental sanitation among residents.
According to him, the clean-up covered major communities within the municipality, including Galilea, Tuba Junction, Tuba Roundabout and the Amanfrom enclave, where extensive desilting and refuse evacuation were undertaken. He commended the various institutions, stakeholders and community groups that supported the exercise and expressed special appreciation to Zoomlion Ghana Limited for providing logistical support.
Hon. Ocansey appealed to residents to adopt responsible waste disposal habits, cautioning against storing refuse in their homes and dumping waste into drains during rainfall. He stressed that indiscriminate waste disposal remains one of the major causes of flooding and urged households to make proper sanitation practices part of their daily lives.
The Ga South Municipal Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mr. Isaac Nelson Akrobeto, said the municipality had consistently embarked on sanitation education and community clean-up exercises even before the President’s directive. He noted that Friday’s exercise reinforced those ongoing efforts and further strengthened public awareness of environmental cleanliness.
Mr. Akrobeto observed that community participation throughout the municipality was overwhelming, although a few individuals remained reluctant to join the exercise. He expressed optimism that sustained public education and continuous community engagement would encourage greater participation in future sanitation initiatives.
At Mallam Okroko Park, one resident who participated in the exercise alongside her children lamented what she described as the poor sanitation culture among some members of the community. She criticised the indiscriminate disposal of refuse and called for stricter enforcement of sanitation by-laws, arguing that stronger measures would help instil discipline and encourage residents to keep their surroundings clean.
Participants across the various communities expressed satisfaction with the level of public involvement, describing the exercise as a demonstration of collective responsibility and civic commitment. Many urged the government and local assemblies to sustain such initiatives throughout the year, stressing that lasting improvements in environmental sanitation would require continuous public participation rather than periodic campaigns.
As the nationwide clean-up enters its second and final day on Saturday, stakeholders remain hopeful that the renewed campaign will inspire lasting behavioural change and strengthen the collective resolve of citizens to build cleaner, healthier and more resilient communities across Ghana…
