Former Head of Public Affairs at the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Fiifi Boafo, has argued that while the nationwide clean-up exercise launched after the June 29 floods is commendable, it is not a sustainable solution to Ghana’s recurring flooding challenge.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show, Mr Boafo said the success of such initiatives depends on proper execution and long-term waste management strategies rather than one-off exercises.
According to him, government should have first focused on expressing sympathy to victims of the floods before discussing the causes of the disaster.
“The nationwide clean-up exercise is commendable, but it is not the solution. It has become a photo opportunity for leaders who allowed these problems to persist.
“Firstly, I was disappointed in government communications after the floods. People lost their lives and when such happens, as Ghanaians, you sympathise with the victims first,” he stated.
Mr Boafo criticised the government’s initial communication, saying it focused more on the amount of rainfall and poor sanitation than on the human impact of the disaster.
“The government statement was talking about the amount of rain that fell and how poor sanitation contributed to the floods, at a time when people were grieving,” he said.
While acknowledging that the clean-up exercise was a positive initiative, he questioned whether it addressed the root causes of flooding.
“The national clean-up exercise was good, but let’s ask ourselves if that’s the solution,” he noted.
He argued that the exercise disrupted economic activities without providing a lasting answer to the waste management problem.
“People who were doing business had to report to work around noon just because they were cleaning gutters, only for the waste to be left by the roadside, where it could still find its way back into the drains,” he said.
Mr Boafo stressed that Ghana’s priority should be establishing an effective waste collection and disposal system to prevent refuse from ending up in drains.
“What we need in this country is a system that ensures rubbish does not find its way back into the gutters,” he stated.
He also called for stricter enforcement of planning regulations to prevent construction on waterways before such developments become permanent.
“If someone wants to build on a waterway, we shouldn’t wait until the person finishes building before we move in to demolish it,” he said.
Mr Boafo urged the government to engage competent waste management companies and dedicated sanitation personnel to undertake regular cleaning and maintenance instead of relying on periodic national exercises.
“The solution is to identify the people who will do the cleaning, sign contracts where necessary and ensure they deliver. It’s not about taking pictures,” he added.
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