Ghana's Flood Crisis Prompts Calls for Comprehensive Sanitation Policy

Severe floods on June 29 devastated parts of Accra and other Ghanaian communities, killing about 30 people and leaving large areas submerged. President John Dramani Mahama ordered a two‑day National Sanitation Exercise, personally joining volunteers and deploying the Ghana Armed Forces under Deputy Defence Minister Ernest Brogya Genfi. The military is clearing debris, desilting drains and coordinating with private firms such as Zoomlion and the Jospong Group for logistics and waste removal.

Opposition leader Alexander Afenyo‑Markin and other public figures, including highlife musician Rex Omar and MP Kingsley Nyarko, argue the short‑term clean‑up is insufficient. They urge the government to adopt a comprehensive national sanitation and drainage policy, enforce existing environmental laws, and invest in engineering solutions to prevent recurrent flooding. The debate highlights the need for long‑term coordination among government, security forces, private sector and citizens to address Ghana’s chronic sanitation challenges.