President John Dramani Mahama has launched the National Emergency Waste Evacuation Exercise as part of efforts to tackle Ghana’s sanitation challenges and rid major cities of accumulated waste.

The exercise was launched on Friday, September 18, at the IRECOP Centre at Agbogbloshie, where a large refuse heap has become a longstanding sanitation concern.

Speaking at the launch, President Mahama described the situation as a national emergency, stressing the need for urgent action to protect public health and restore the dignity of communities affected by poor sanitation.

“For too long, we have lived with this shame in the middle of our capital. Today, we say enough is enough. Accra must breathe again. Jamestown must live again.”

He said the exercise forms part of his administration’s efforts to deliver on its Clean Ghana Agenda, with the government relying on existing state resources to address the sanitation crisis.

Government deploys DRIP equipment

President Mahama commended the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs for adopting what he described as a cost-effective approach by deploying equipment under the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP) rather than awarding new contracts.

“This is the reset we promised. Using what we already have, with our own men and women, our own military, our own assemblies, to solve our own problems. That is value for money. That is self-reliance.”

He also commended the Ghana Armed Forces for supporting the exercise with personnel and logistics.

The President further acknowledged the Minister for Roads and Highways for securing more than 200 trucks from road contractors to support the waste evacuation exercise.

He also praised the Ministry of Finance for agreeing to finance the fuel and maintenance of the DRIP equipment through the District Assemblies Common Fund.