By Edward Dankwah, GNA
Accra, July 16, GNA – Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim, the Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, has assured the public that flood recovery operations will continue until affected communities are fully restored.
He said the two-day National Clean-Up Exercise marked only the beginning of a broader sanitation campaign.
During a tour of selected Assemblies in Accra to assess post-clean-up operations following President John Dramani Mahama’s declaration of the National Clean-Up Exercise, the Minister said substantial mop-up activities were still ongoing across flood-affected areas.
The Minister toured the Korle Klottey, Okaikwei North, Ga East, Adentan Municipal and La Nkwantanang-Madina Assemblies, where he inspected ongoing waste evacuation, decongestion of refuse collection points and other sanitation interventions.
He said although significant progress had been made, the scale of work required meant it could not be completed within two days.
“This tour is an opportunity for you to see the progress for yourselves, understand why work still remains in some locations and appreciate the operational processes involved in ensuring that all waste is completely evacuated,” he said.
Mr. Ibrahim said transparency and accountability remained central to the Ministry’s work, adding that informed media reporting would help the public appreciate both the progress achieved and the work that still lies ahead.
He reiterated that the government’s objective was to restore cleanliness, protect public health and build cleaner, healthier and more resilient communities.
At the La Nkwantanang-Madina Municipal Assembly, the Minister commended the Municipal Chief Executive for improving sanitation and promoting the use of the Madina footbridge through sustained public education and awareness campaigns.
He also praised the Assembly for beautifying the median along the highway with grass and creating employment for more than 100 people to maintain the green spaces using Internally Generated Funds and the District Assemblies Common Fund.
Mr. Ibrahim encouraged other Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives to emulate the initiative by taking ownership of their communities and investing in environmental cleanliness and beautification.
He however directed the Assembly to address sanitation challenges, and rehabilitate dilapidated structures at the Madina Market to restore order.
At the Adentan Municipal Assembly, the Minister lauded officials for their efforts but urged them to intensify sweeping, weeding and routine maintenance along major roads, especially around urban highways and roads serving major educational institutions.
He encouraged the Adentan and La Nkwantanang-Madina Assemblies to work together in maintaining shared roads and public spaces to improve the overall appearance of the adjoining municipalities.
Mr. Ibrahim described Adentan’s performance during the inspection as excellent and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to sustaining the post-flood recovery operations until all affected communities had been restored.
At the other Assemblies visited, recovery and sanitation works were still ongoing to restore affected communities to their original condition, and, where possible, improve them beyond their pre-flood state.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah