Ahmed Ibrahim, the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, has issued a stern warning to traders and shop owners ahead of the two-day national cleanup exercise.
According to the Local Government Minister, all markets and shops across the flood-affected regions must be shut down during President John Dramani Mahama’s upcoming two-day national clean-up exercise.
Ahmed Ibrahim warned against taking the President’s directive lightly, adding that traders and persons who defy the order will face the full force of the law.
Speaking to the media and stakeholders in Accra on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, Ahmed Ibrahim stated, “Friday, all other political activity must be suspended; everybody must be on board. All markets and shops must be closed. And this one, the CDS is on board. And the IGP is on board. And the Controller-General is on board. So if you go and open your shop, you will be on fire”.
“If the President speaks and you want to take it for granted, the law will deal with you. He is the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces. All shops will be closed, all markets will be closed”, he said.
“The markets got flooded, and the water got into some of the shops. So if we don’t close them and sweep and collect all the debris and disinfect most of the places, they will be buying and selling all those things for us to eat, and there will be an outbreak of diseases”, he said.
His comments follow John Dramani Mahama declaring Friday, July 10, and Saturday, July 11, as National General Cleaning Days across the seven regions affected by the devastating June 29 floods.
The two-day exercise, organised under the auspices of the Post-Flood Mitigation Committee, will be held under the theme “Our Actions, Our Future: Cleaning Ghana after the floods”.
According to the statement issued by the government spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the cleanup is a critical national intervention and urged all Ghanaians to participate actively.
In a statement issued on Monday, July 6, government spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu stated, “The Government, under the auspices of the Post-Flood Mitigation Committee, has declared Friday, 10 July 2026, and Saturday, 11 July 2026, as National General Cleaning Days in the seven regions affected by the recent floods.
Under the theme “Our Actions, Our Future: Cleaning Ghana after the floods,” this two-day national exercise seeks to mobilise our collective duty to clean our communities, secure our environment and safeguard lives across the country.
This is a critical, nationwide exercise and all citizens are strongly encouraged to fully participate in it,
The President has accordingly directed that all government appointees, including Ministers of State, CEOs, Members of Parliament, Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives MMDCEs), and Heads of Public Institutions, must step out of their offices, pick up tools, and lead the cleanup efforts alongside members of their respective communities.
To ensure a structured, highly coordinated, and effective exercise, the activities have been scheduled as follows:
– Friday, 10 July 2026: Personnel from all security agencies, the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs), and waste management companies will commence the cleanup
⁃ Saturday, 11th July 2026: The general public will join the security agencies and assemblies to scale up the exercise.
During this two-day exercise, efforts will be heavily focused on:
⁃ Desilting choked drains to ensure free, uninterrupted water flow ahead of the heavy rains; ⁃ Sweeping and clearing sand, weeds, and debris from major roads, streets, and highways; ⁃ Cleaning up public spaces, including markets, lorry parks, recreational parks, and communal waste collection points.
This two-day exercise is a critical intervention and a vital wake-up call for the nation. For far toc ong, indiscriminate littering and plastic pollution have clogged our drainage systems, contributing to devastating, preventable floods that destroy livelihoods and claim precious Ghanaian lives.
All MMDAs are directed to collaborate with waste management companies to provide adequate logistics, including waste trucks, gloves, shovels, and other cleaning tools at designated collection points.
Assemblies must also ensure that all silt and gathered refuse are evacuated immediately to prevent them from washing back into the drains.
Let us rise together and show that the Ghanaian spirit of community, discipline, and unity is alive and well. Protect your home, protect your neighbour, and let us clean our beloved homeland.
Clean Ghana, Save Lives”.
Watch the video below:
“if you open your shop, you will be on fire.”
— EDHUB🌍ℹ (@eddie_wrt) July 8, 2026
The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has announced that all markets and shops across the Greater Accra Region will be closed during the President’s two-day cleanup exercise to ensure maximum public… pic.twitter.com/KwyvSrTlCZ
