Story by, Paul Mensah Nsor
The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim, has commended Ghanaians for their mass participation in a nationwide cleanup exercise led by President John Dramani Mahama in Accra.
Addressing the media on Monday after the exercise, Hon. Ibrahim said the event was meant to “take stock of what went well, what didn’t go well, and to remind ourselves of the promise that we made yesterday.”
The Minister praised President Mahama for initiating the cleanup and Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang for joining market traders on the ground.
He also thanked the Speaker of Parliament, Right Honourable Alban Sumana Bagbin, noting that Parliament was suspended 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 said.
Hon. Ibrahim further acknowledged the role of Chief Directors, ministers, and staff across government institutions who, he said, were involved in mobilizing logistics as late as 11 p.m. ahead of the exercise.
The Minister singled out the security services for their role, citing the military, fire service, immigration, prisons, and police for “exemplary” conduct during the cleanup.
He also commended citizens for turning out “in their numbers from both political divides,” and the various political parties for their participation. He noted the presence of bodyguards of the former president escorting the current president as a sign of unity.
“Even the bodyguards of the former president escorting the current president in the exercise. This is if Ghanaians want to do something, we can do it,” he stated.
Media houses were also recognized for cleaning their premises ahead of the exercise and for extensive coverage. Environmental service providers, both public and private, were praised for supplying trucks, logistics, and equipment to clear drains.
“In Ghana we have the solution and we have the logistics. So, if we have the leadership, and I believe with what we’ve begun, if we don’t relent, we will be able to get to where we want to take the country to,” Hon. Ibrahim said.
The Minister stressed that sanitation and cleanliness is a shared responsibility and cited the involvement of colleague ministers including those for Finance and Defence who joined the exercise across different locations.
He said government will build on the momentum from the exercise to sustain efforts toward a cleaner Ghana.
The nationwide cleanup is part of ongoing government efforts to address sanitation challenges in urban centers, with a focus on community participation and institutional collaboration.
