President John Dramani Mahama has called on Ghanaians to stop using drains as dumping sites, warning that indiscriminate waste disposal is worsening flooding across the country and undermining efforts to protect lives and property.

Speaking during an inspection of the Alajo drains as part of the National Clean-Up Exercise, the President said the devastating floods of June 29 should serve as a wake-up call for citizens to adopt responsible sanitation practices.

He explained that the Alajo drain had become heavily clogged with silt, plastics and household waste, restricting the free flow of water and increasing the risk of flooding.

"We have to clear the drains. We just worked on this Alajo drain. It's part of the Odaw stream. And there are two problems in it. There's silt, and then there's also plastics and household waste," he said.

President Mahama expressed concern about the types of waste being dumped into drains, describing the practice as irresponsible and harmful to the country's flood prevention efforts.

"You find in a drain like this, there are paving blocks. People discard a paving block and throw it in the drain. Old furniture, dining tables, everything you can find in that drain," he said. "The drains are not garbage instruments. If you want to dispose of something, you know how to dispose of it."

The President urged residents to make use of designated waste disposal facilities, including skip containers placed across communities, instead of throwing refuse into drainage systems.

"We have skip trucks that leave containers all over the city. Just go and throw your garbage into the skip, and the truck will come and pick it and take it where it has to take it," he said.

Mr Mahama also stressed the need for a change in public attitudes towards sanitation, saying urbanisation should not erode the values of environmental cleanliness.

"We are taught to keep a clean environment. But when we all leave our hometowns, and we come, because of the anonymity of urbanisation, we think that nobody watches us. So we dump those values, and we live in filth. We must change that attitude," he said.

He thanked the security services, traditional leaders and volunteers for supporting the clean-up exercise and assured the public that the government would continue improving drainage infrastructure beyond the two-day campaign. "The floods have been devastating, but we must show that we are a resilient nation and we can bounce back even better," he added.