The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has outlined modalities for the two-day post-flood cleanup exercise scheduled for July 10 and 11, 2026.
At a press briefing in Accra on July 9, Mr Ibrahim urged all Ghanaians to participate in the exercise.
“This exercise is a national call to duty. Every Ghanaian has a responsibility to contribute towards restoring environmental cleanliness and preventing future flooding,” he said.
The Minister added that, “Accordingly, all individuals, institutions and groups identified in this statement are required to comply fully with these directives. Failure to do so shall attract the appropriate sanctions under the applicable sanitation and local governance laws.”
Please read full text below:
STATEMENT BY HON. AHMED IBRAHIM, MINISTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, CHIEFTAINCY AND RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS AT A PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENT ON THE TWO-DAY NATIONAL FLOOD AFTERMATH CLEAN-UP EXERCISE MANDATORY IMPLEMENTATION DIRECTIVES.9TH JULY 2026
Members of the Media;
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen;
Good afternoon.
Thank you for responding to our invitation.
I have invited you here today to provide further details on the implementation arrangements for the Two-Day National Flood Aftermath Clean-up Exercise directed by His Excellency the President of the Republic following the devastating floods of 29th June 2026.
As you are aware, the floods resulted in the tragic loss of lives, destruction of property and widespread environmental degradation across several parts of the country.
In response, His Excellency the President declared Friday, 10th July and Saturday, 11th July 2026 as a Two-Day National Flood Aftermath Clean-up Exercise as part of Government’s coordinated efforts to restore environmental sanitation, clear flood debris, desilt drains and waterways, improve public health conditions and minimise the risk of future flooding.
The schedule for the exercise is as follows;
Friday: Government institutions, private institutions, Security Services, MMDAs and Waste Management Companies.
Saturday: Communities, residents and Security Services, with support from MMDAs and Waste Management Companies.
Time: 6:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on both days.
MANDATORY IMPLEMENTATION DIRECTIVES
To ensure an effective, coordinated and successful nationwide exercise, Government directs as follows:
1. Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs)
All Regional Coordinating Councils shall:
· coordinate the overall implementation of the exercise within their respective regions;
· liaise with Environmental Service Providers for the timely deployment and retrieval of equipment, logistics and operational personnel;
· ensure that all logistics are distributed equitably to participating MMDAs; and
· monitor implementation and submit regional situation reports to the Ministry.
Government institutions and organised groups requiring logistical support shall liaise with their respective Regional Coordinating Councils.
For the Greater Accra Region, logistics are being dispatched to all the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in the Region.
2. Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs)
All Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives shall personally supervise and coordinate the exercise within their jurisdictions.
The Assemblies shall:
· identify and assign clean-up teams to flood-prone communities, drains, waterways, markets, lorry stations, principal streets, medians, public spaces and other identified sanitation hotspots;
· coordinate the activities of Environmental Service Providers, volunteer organisations, youth groups, community-based organisations, religious bodies and traditional authorities;
· collaborate with market leadership and transport unions to ensure maximum participation by traders and commercial transport operators;
· ensure that all waste generated during the exercise is evacuated to designated transfer stations and disposal facilities without delay;
· coordinate the deployment, utilisation and safe return of all logistics and equipment issued for the exercise; and
· strictly enforce all sanitation and waste management bye-laws throughout the period of the exercise.
3. Environmental Service Providers
Environmental Service Providers shall deploy the required personnel, equipment and operational support to all assigned locations and work under the direction of the respective Assemblies to ensure the timely evacuation and disposal of all collected waste.
4. Property Owners and Occupiers
Owners and occupiers of residential, commercial, public and private premises are hereby directed to:
· clean their compounds and the frontage of their premises;
· desilt drains adjoining their properties;
· remove all flood debris and accumulated waste; and
· maintain their surroundings in accordance with existing sanitation laws.
5. Markets and Commercial Establishments
All markets, shops and commercial establishments within the affected areas shall remain closed between 6:00 a.m. and 1:00pm. on Friday, 10th July and Saturday, 11th July 2026 to enable proprietors, employees and customers to participate fully in the clean-up exercise.
Market Queens, Market Associations and Market Management Committees are directed to ensure full compliance by all traders.
6. Transport Operators
Transport unions and operators of commercial transport terminals shall mobilise their members to clean all lorry parks, terminals and adjoining public spaces and participate actively in the nationwide exercise.
7. Environmental Health and Waste Management Officers
Environmental Health Officers and other authorized officers of the Assemblies are directed to monitor compliance, provide technical guidance where necessary and strictly enforce the applicable sanitation bye-laws throughout the exercise.
Appropriate sanctions shall be applied against individuals, institutions and commercial establishments that fail to comply with these lawful directives.
8. Waste Management Facilities
The Ministry is collaborating with Environmental Service Providers to ensure that all strategic waste management facilities operate continuously on a 24-hour basis throughout the exercise to facilitate uninterrupted waste evacuation. All Regional Coordinating Councils are to actively facilitate this arrangement.
Within the Greater Accra Region, the following facilities shall remain operational throughout the exercise:
a) Achimota Waste Transfer Station;
b) Ashaiman Waste Transfer Station;
c) Pantang Waste Transfer Station;
d) Teshie Waste Transfer Station;
e) Integrated Recycling and Compost Plant (Korle Bu);
f) Accra Compost and Recycling Plant (ACARP);
g) Adipa Engineered Landfill; and
h) Kpone Engineered Landfill.
To ensure orderly operations and efficient traffic management at the disposal facilities, access shall be regulated as follows:
Kpone Engineered Landfill shall receive waste only from the following Assemblies:
· Tema Metropolitan Assembly;
· Kpone Katamanso Municipal Assembly;
· Ashaiman Municipal Assembly; and
· Tema West Municipal Assembly.
Teshie Waste Transfer Station shall receive waste only from:
· Ledzokuku Municipal Assembly;
· Krowor Municipal Assembly; and
· La Dade-Kotopon Municipal Assembly.
All waste delivered by motorised tricycle operators to the designated transfer stations during the two-day clean-up exercise shall be received free of charge. All other Assemblies shall continue to utilise their designated transfer stations and disposal facilities based on proximity, as directed by the Ministry and their respective Regional Coordinating Councils.
Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, together with environmental service providers, are encouraged to maximise night-time waste haulage operations to reduce turnaround times, minimise congestion at waste management facilities and improve overall operational efficiency.
9. Security Arrangements
The Ministry has engaged the National Security architecture and the Ghana Police Service to deploy security personnel to all strategic waste management facilities and operational locations to ensure public safety, protect workers and safeguard equipment throughout the exercise.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
The Ministry welcomes the decision of His Excellency the President of the Republic to personally participate in the exercise and acknowledges the commitment of Parliament, public institutions, development partners, traditional authorities, religious organisations, organised labour, civil society organisations, professional bodies, educational institutions, media, volunteer groups, other stakeholders and all persons resident in the country.
This exercise is a national call to duty. Every Ghanaian has a responsibility to contribute towards restoring environmental cleanliness and preventing future flooding.
Accordingly, all individuals, institutions and groups identified in this statement are required to comply fully with these directives. Failure to do so shall attract the appropriate sanctions under the applicable sanitation and local governance laws.
Although the nationwide clean-up has been declared for Friday, 10th July and Saturday, 11th July 2026, mopping-up operations will continue beyond the two-day exercise until affected communities, drains, waterways and public spaces have been restored to acceptable sanitary conditions.
Together, let us demonstrate our collective commitment to building cleaner, healthier, safer and more resilient communities.
