The government has directed that all businesses must remain closed from 6 a.m. until after 1 p.m. today and tomorrow to allow all citizens to fully participate in the two-day national flood aftermath clean-up exercise declared by the President.
The Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, who gave the directive, stressed that all state and private institutions, security agencies, metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs), and communities must participate actively in the two-day exercise as a matter of priority.
Again, he stressed that the security agencies would be on the ground to enforce compliance for the effectiveness of the exercise in the national interest.
"The President is personally taking part in this clean-up exercise. Parliament is not sitting on Friday and Saturday because the Speaker wants all Members of Parliament (MPs) to participate in this exercise in their constituencies. So, no one should take themselves out of the national exercise," he stressed.
The Banda MP made the call at an emergency press briefing in Accra yesterday.
The press briefing was meant to give details on the implementation of the two-day national flood aftermath cleanup directive by the President.
Providing further details on the exercise, he said today, government institutions, private institutions, security institutions, ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), and waste management companies would undertake the exercise.
The minister further stated that on Saturday, all communities, security agencies, waste management companies, with support from the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs), would continue the exercise that would see the desilting of gutters, clearing of debris and the clearing of stagnant water.
"Everybody must participate in this exercise by cleaning their frontage very well before extending to other areas. If the monitoring team comes round and your frontage is not clean, you will be held responsible," he stressed.
To ensure the smooth implementation of the exercise, the minister directed all regional coordinating councils (RCCs) and MMDAs to coordinate the dispatch of logistics to districts and communities within their jurisdiction.
"The RCCs and metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) must personally supervise the successful execution of this exercise and file a report for onward submission to the Presidency. You must all take this seriously because it is a presidential directive," he said.
Mr Ibrahim called on all transport unions, the leadership of market women, and all stakeholders to make it a point to participate actively in the exercise.
"All waste material and debris must not be left on the shoulders of the road or in public spaces.
They must be collected promptly and properly disposed of because we do not know when the rains will come," he stressed.
He also directed owners of properties and landlords to ensure that their properties were rid of filth.
For commercial activities, he directed that all shops and businesses must remain closed until after 1 p.m. on both days.
"From 6 p.m. to 1 p.m., all shops must be closed so that everyone, including customers, can take an active part in the clean-up exercise," he stressed.
