By Kekeli K. Blamey
Sogakope, July 10, GNA – Hundreds of residents, security personnel, government officials, traditional authorities and assembly members on Friday participated in the National General Cleaning Exercise in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region.
The exercise was in response to President John Dramani Mahama’s directive to improve environmental sanitation following recent flooding incidents in parts of the country.
The activity, which formed part of a nationwide two-day sanitation campaign, attracted personnel from the Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Police Service, Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Prisons Service and other security agencies.
They joined officials of the South Tongu District Assembly, traders, youth groups and community members to clear refuse, desilt choked drains and remove weeds from major drainage channels and public spaces.
Held under the theme: “Our Actions, Our Future: Cleaning Ghana after the Floods,” the initiative seeks to reduce the risk of flooding, improve public health and promote environmental responsibility among citizens.
Mr James Gunu, Volta Regional Minister, who led the regional delegation, said the exercise was in fulfilment of President Mahama’s directive for all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to mobilise citizens to restore cleanliness in their communities.
He commended the overwhelming participation of the security services and residents, describing it as a demonstration of collective responsibility towards safeguarding the environment.
Mr Gunu stressed that environmental sanitation should not be viewed as an occasional exercise but as a continuous civic obligation.
“Our environment directly affects our health, livelihoods and overall well-being. We must therefore make cleanliness a daily habit and collectively protect the communities in which we live,” he said.
The Regional Minister urged residents who did not participate in the exercise to embrace future initiatives, stressing that poor sanitation exposed communities to disease outbreaks and heightened the risk of flooding.
He also donated rain boots, wheelbarrows, and other items to support the exercise.
Mr Maxwell Kwame Lukutor, Member of Parliament for South Tongu, said the exercise reflected the long-standing tradition of communal labour, which had historically played a significant role in maintaining clean and healthy communities.
He noted that indiscriminate disposal of waste and choked drainage systems had contributed significantly to recent flooding, making the nationwide clean-up exercise both timely and necessary.
“The recent floods serve as a reminder that protecting our environment is a shared responsibility. When drains are kept clean, we minimise flooding and protect lives, property, and livelihoods,” he stated.
Mr Lukutor called on residents to regard environmental sanitation as a personal and civic responsibility rather than an activity undertaken only upon government directive.
Mr Samuel Glago, South Tongu District Director of Environmental Health and Sanitation, described the turnout as encouraging, saying the exercise received strong support from the Regional Coordinating Council, the District Assembly, security agencies, assembly staff and community members.
He explained that while many participants assembled at the district capital, similar clean-up exercises were conducted simultaneously across various electoral areas, accounting for the absence of some residents at the main venue.
Mr Glago urged residents to sustain the momentum beyond the two-day campaign by maintaining proper waste disposal practices and ensuring that drains remained free from obstruction throughout the year.
Some residents who participated in the exercise described the initiative as timely and beneficial, expressing optimism that regular community clean-up activities would help reduce flooding and improve public health.
They called for sustained public education, stricter enforcement of sanitation regulations, and consistent community participation to ensure cleaner and safer neighbourhoods.
The exercise concluded with renewed calls on citizens to make environmental cleanliness a collective responsibility and complement government sanitation efforts through regular communal activities and responsible waste management practices.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Lydia Kukua Asamoah