Mahama Joins Tse Addo Residents for National Clean-Up Exercise, Desilts Choked Drain

President John Dramani Mahama on Friday, July 10, joined residents of Tse Addo in the Greater Accra Region for the National General Clean-up Exercise, taking part in the desilting of a clogged drain as part of efforts to improve sanitation and reduce the risk of flooding.

The President visited the community after receiving a briefing from officials of the local assembly on the ongoing clean-up exercise. He later joined residents, security personnel and other stakeholders in clearing refuse and removing silt from drainage channels.

Addressing participants, President Mahama commended residents for turning out in large numbers, saying the exercise highlighted the importance of proper waste disposal and regular maintenance of drains.

“I want to use this opportunity to thank all the residents who have come out to help with this exercise. Clearly, we can see what the cause of our problem is. We’ve just desilted this. Look at the plastics that we are taking out of it,” he said.

The President noted that the large volume of silt and plastic waste removed from the drain demonstrated how years of indiscriminate waste disposal and inadequate maintenance had reduced the capacity of drainage systems, increasing the likelihood of flooding during heavy rains.

He also cautioned authorities against leaving dredged silt along roadsides after clean-up operations, warning that rainfall often washes the debris back into drains, reversing the progress made.

“I’ve gone round the city and I’ve seen the turnout has been very good,” he said, adding that the military and other security agencies would continue dredging major waterways to improve water flow into wetlands.

The National General Clean-up Exercise is being conducted across seven flood-affected regions as part of the government’s post-flood response aimed at improving sanitation, clearing choked drains and reducing the risk of future flooding following the devastating June 29 floods.

Organised by the Post-Flood Mitigation Committee, the two-day exercise is being implemented in phases. The first phase is being led by personnel from the security services, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), and waste management companies, while members of the public are expected to participate in the second phase.