Omanghana
President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, the Ablekuma Central Municipal Assembly and other local authorities to intensify the enforcement of sanitation regulations within their jurisdictions.
The President issued the directive on Friday, September 18, 2026, during the launch of the National Emergency Waste Evacuation Exercise at Agbogbloshie in Accra.
He said clearing accumulated refuse would not be enough to address the country’s sanitation challenges unless assemblies took decisive action to prevent people from returning to reclaimed areas to dump waste.
President Mahama stressed that the long-term success of the exercise would be measured by the ability of local authorities to protect cleared sites and ensure they did not deteriorate into uncontrolled dumping grounds again.
He instructed the assemblies to collaborate with security agencies, traditional authorities, community leaders and residents to enforce sanitation regulations firmly and fairly. The partnership, he noted, would help establish a sustainable system for keeping communities clean after the emergency evacuation exercise.
The initiative involves the deployment of heavy machinery, trucks and other logistical resources to remove large quantities of waste from affected communities and restore areas that have been overwhelmed by refuse.
Equipment assigned to the District Roads Improvement Project has also been mobilised to support waste evacuation operations across various municipalities.
Beyond the immediate clean-up, the government intends to improve waste management through the construction of modern transfer stations, the distribution of household waste bins and the development of recycling infrastructure.
At Agbogbloshie, the exercise forms part of a broader urban redevelopment program aimed at reclaiming degraded land and putting it to productive use.
Under the Agbogbloshie Urban Renewal Project, the cleared area is expected to be transformed into an industrial zone designed to stimulate economic activity and create employment opportunities.
The government believes that combining waste removal with strict enforcement, improved infrastructure and urban redevelopment will help prevent the re-emergence of illegal dumping sites.
President Mahama urged residents and businesses to support the initiative by disposing of waste responsibly and complying with sanitation rules. He also called on local authorities to ensure that offenders are dealt with in accordance with the law, regardless of their status or influence.
The National Emergency Waste Evacuation Exercise is expected to cover several municipalities as the government works to clear major refuse sites and improve environmental conditions across the country.
Source: Omanghana
