The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has commended Ghanaians for the massive turnout and leadership shown during the two-day national flood aftermath cleanup exercise directed by President John Dramani Mahama.

Speaking at a press conference to take stock of the exercise, the minister said the event proved that when Ghanaians are united, they can achieve results.

“If Ghanaians want to do something, we can do it, and based on that, may I also commend the various political parties for their outstanding participation in this exercise,” he stated.

Ahmed Ibrahim thanked President John Dramani Mahama for the initiative and Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang for leading by example.

“In fact, she showed a motherly move in making sure that she moved with us to the market to see how the gutters and those things were all desilted,” he said.

He also acknowledged the Speaker of Parliament, Kingsford Alban Bagbin, for suspending Parliament to allow MPs to participate. 

“Wherever we went, you saw the MPs together with their MMDCEs and the traditional leaders and queens leading the people of Ghana in the exercise,” he noted.

The minister praised chief directors, ministers, deputy ministers, and staff across all ministries who worked late into the night to deploy logistics. He also commended the Military, Police, Fire Service, Immigration, and Prisons Service for their exemplary role.

“Every ministry, every office, every institution, everybody was involved, and this is an all-inclusive clean-up exercise,” he added.

The minister noted the strong participation from citizens across political divides.

“You could see that everywhere you go, people came out in their numbers from both political divides. I will see even the bodyguards of the former president escorting the current president in the exercise,” he said.

He also thanked the private sector for supplying trucks and equipment to evacuate vehicles and debris from drains.

“It means in Ghana, we have the solution and we have the logistics. So if we have the leadership... we will be able to get to where we want to take the country to,” observed.

To ensure all debris is cleared, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim announced that key waste facilities will remain open 24/7 today and tomorrow, and disposal will be free of charge.

Facilities open include:

- Achimota Waste Transfer Station

- Ashaiman Waste Transfer Station 

- Pantang Waste Transfer Station

- Teshie Waste Transfer Station

- IRCP Kpone

- ACARP Ekumfi, Kanda

- Adipa Engineered Landfill Site

- Kpone Engineered Landfill Site

“All Aboboya and tricycles that are taking waste to the transfer station today and tomorrow is for free. So don't keep waste in your dustbins in your houses today and tomorrow,” he urged.

He cautioned MMDCEs not to close at 1 PM.

“If it is 1 o'clock and people have closed, you cannot close. Go round to see that all the desilted gutters, the sand that were put on the edges will not remain there till tomorrow,” he asserted.

The minister also reminded the Executive Chairman of Jospong Group of Companies, Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong, of a promise made to the vice president to clear specific heaps by Sunday.

“When I came to the office, my wife called me that they are calling her, that the people have come out in their numbers, and there are heaps dotted everywhere. So Krobo MCE get in touch with the one who made the promise to make sure all those things are cleared,” he said. 

Ahmed Ibrahim stressed that sanitation and cleanliness is a shared responsibility and urged Ghanaians to sustain the momentum.

“We are discouraging dumping at unengineered sites like Weija or Mallam because when it rains, it will take it back to the sea. That is why all those facilities are opened 24/7 for today and tomorrow,” he said.

He concluded: “Sanitation and cleanliness is a shared responsibility. Our participation has been outstanding. Let us continue in that mode.”