President Mahama Declares National Cleaning Days Following Deadly Floods Amid Controversies Over Diverted Mitigation Funds

In a decisive response to the devastating floods of June 29, which claimed over 30 lives and displaced thousands across seven regions, President John Dramani Mahama has declared July 10 and 11, 2026, as National General Cleaning Days. Under the theme ‘Our Actions, Our Future: Cleaning Ghana after the Floods,’ the initiative seeks to mobilize citizens, security agencies, and local authorities to desilt drains and clear debris. To ensure the success of this exercise, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has suspended parliamentary sittings on July 10, urging Members of Parliament to lead community cleanup efforts in their respective constituencies. The government has further activated a National Post-Flood Mitigation Task Force, led by Brigadier General Forster Okae-Yeboah, and committed GH"350 million toward immediate relief and infrastructure restoration.

While the government intensifies physical recovery efforts, the Ministry of Finance has sparked a political firestorm by accusing the previous Akufo-Addo administration of misappropriating funds intended for flood resilience. Technical Advisor Frederick Amissah revealed that $65 million from the World Bank-funded Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project was diverted to COVID-19 related expenses, such as fumigation and quarantine feeding. Amissah further noted that $4.2 million of these redirected funds remain unretired, arguing that this misallocation hindered long-term flood prevention and contributed to the nation's current debt crisis. The Ministry maintains that while there were no delays in the release of GARID funds, the lack of transparency in previous spending patterns necessitates a rigorous audit of World Bank loan usage.

Beyond immediate cleanup and financial scrutiny, the crisis has prompted urgent calls for structural and policy reforms. The Ministry of Works and Housing has announced plans to demolish structures obstructing natural water paths, particularly around the Aburi Hills, where encroachment on retention ponds has severely diminished drainage capacity. Concurrently, Professor Nana Ama Brown Klutse, CEO of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is advocating for a nationwide ban on styrofoam and single-use plastics, citing them as primary causes of drain blockages. Local Government Minister Ahmed Ibrahim added that Ghana produces 20,000 tonnes of solid waste daily, emphasizing that the country cannot solve the climate crisis without significant investment in waste infrastructure and a transition to a circular economy.

The government’s response has not escaped criticism from the political opposition and economic experts. Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin criticized the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) for providing inadequate relief packages, such as instant noodles, rather than essential staples and financial aid. Meanwhile, NPP political aide Kofi Tonto alleged that the administration failed to act on warnings from the Ghana Meteorological Agency issued four months prior to the disaster. Amidst these critiques, economist Professor Peter Quartey has urged the government to prioritize the financial health of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) with the same urgency applied to Eurobond repayments. Quartey argued that strengthening local fiscal capacity is essential for maintaining the drainage and waste management systems required to build lasting climate resilience.