Accra, July 14, GNA – The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has commended the Government for organising the two-day National Clean-Up Exercise following the recent devastating floods.
The Association described the exercise as timely, necessary and a significant step towards addressing the country’s persistent sanitation challenges.
The exercise, held on Friday, July 10, and Saturday, July 11, successfully mobilised citizens, institutions and communities to restore environmental cleanliness while strengthening the national resolve to tackle poor sanitation, one of the major causes of flooding.
The GJA, in a statement signed by its President, Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, praised President John Dramani Mahama for personally participating in the exercise, saying his leadership demonstrated that environmental sanitation was a shared national responsibility rather than the sole obligation of any institution.
“The President’s decision to lead … sent a powerful message and inspired thousands of citizens across the country to volunteer their time and energy in support of the exercise,” the statement said.
The Association also lauded the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Regional Coordinating Councils, sanitation agencies, traditional authorities, the security services, civil society organisations, youth groups and community volunteers for their coordinated efforts, which contributed to the success of the nationwide campaign.
The collaboration among stakeholders demonstrated what could be achieved when citizens united behind a common national cause, it said.
The GJA also commended the media for the professionalism and public service displayed before and throughout the exercise, noting that television and radio stations, newspapers, online news portals and other digital media platforms dedicated substantial airtime and publication space to public education, stakeholder engagement, and mobilisation.
It added that journalists reported directly from communities, drains, streets and public spaces where the clean-up activities were taking place, reflecting the highest ideals of civic and development journalism.
The statement, however, urged media organisations to sustain the momentum by keeping sanitation, environmental protection, climate resilience and disaster preparedness high on the national agenda.
It encouraged journalists to investigate the causes of flooding, expose environmental degradation, promote responsible waste management and hold both public institutions and citizens accountable for sanitation-related responsibilities.
The statement commended Zoomlion Ghana Limited and Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong, Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies, for supporting the exercise through the deployment of sanitation personnel, trucks, heavy-duty equipment and the opening of recycling, waste treatment and other sanitation facilities.
The GJA said the contribution underscored the critical role of the private sector in promoting environmental sustainability and national development.
While celebrating the success of the clean-up exercise, the Association stressed that maintaining a clean environment required sustained behavioural change rather than periodic campaigns, and therefore called on citizens to adopt cleanliness as a daily habit.
That could be achieved by disposing of waste responsibly, keeping drains free of refuse, protecting the environment and observing good sanitation practices, it said.
Preventing future flooding disasters, the statement said, would depend on responsible leadership, active citizenship, sustained media advocacy and collective action.
It urged all Ghanaians to embrace environmental responsibility as a civic duty and support initiatives aimed at promoting sanitation, protecting the environment and safeguarding lives and property for future generations.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe