The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has urged Members of Parliament to actively participate in the National General Clean-up Exercise declared by President John Dramani Mahama following the devastating June 29 floods.
Addressing the House on Tuesday, July 7, Mr. Bagbin called on MPs, particularly those representing flood-affected constituencies, to mobilise their constituents, metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies, traditional authorities, religious bodies, youth groups and civil society organisations to ensure the success of the exercise.
The two-day National General Cleaning Exercise, scheduled for Friday, July 10, and Saturday, July 11, will be held under the theme “Our Actions, Our Future: Cleaning Ghana after the floods.” The initiative is aimed at mobilising citizens and institutions to clean affected communities, improve sanitation and reduce the risk of future flooding.
According to the Speaker, the exercise provides an opportunity for lawmakers, especially those in areas affected by the floods, to provide leadership and support efforts to restore communities impacted by the disaster.
Mr. Bagbin welcomed the initiative and described sanitation as more than a public health issue, noting that it is also critical to national resilience, environmental protection and responsible citizenship.
“The recent floods have once again reminded us that clogged drains, indiscriminate disposal of refuse and encroachment upon waterways continue to expose our communities to avoidable disasters.
“As the Legislature, we bear both a constitutional and moral responsibility to provide leadership within our constituencies. Our constituents expect us not only to legislate on matters of national importance, but also to stand with them in times of difficulty and to lead by personal example,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Speaker has directed that Parliament will suspend sitting on Friday, July 10, to allow MPs from flood-affected constituencies to return to their communities and participate in the cleanup exercise.
He explained that the decision followed consultations with the leadership of the House, who unanimously agreed that MPs should be given the opportunity to support the national intervention.
The June 29 floods affected several communities across seven regions, resulting in loss of lives, displacement of households and widespread destruction, prompting government to introduce measures aimed at recovery, improved sanitation and flood prevention.
