The Ghana Armed Forces has appealed to residents in flood-hit areas to cooperate fully with security personnel and engineering teams as a nationwide cleanup and demobilisation exercise gets underway, following floods that killed dozens of people in Accra on June 28, 2026.
Briefing journalists at the Jubilee House, Brigadier General Okae-Yeboah, Director General of Joint Operations at the Ghana Armed Forces, said owners and occupiers of structures located within waterways, drainage reservations and other environmentally sensitive areas were being urged to cooperate with authorities to allow the exercise to proceed.
He said security agencies were being mobilised to augment ongoing operations across the affected regions, and that residents should expect temporary traffic diversions and restricted access in some areas while cleanup and engineering works are carried out.
“Residents are therefore urged to fully cooperate with personnel on the ground and to comply with all traffic management and safety instructions issued by the security agencies,” he said.
Seven regions affected
The floods affected seven regions nationwide, with Greater Accra, Central Region and Volta Region the worst hit — the latest episode in a flooding challenge officials say the country has struggled to contain for nine decades.
“Not an event, it’s a process”
Brig Gen Okae-Yebiah said an area reconnaissance had already been conducted on the ground in coordination with stakeholders, and that detailed planning was underway to clear debris and waterways across the affected regions.
“This is not an event, it’s a process,” he said, adding that the exercise would take time. He confirmed that structures obstructing waterways would be pulled down where necessary. “If we have to pull down structures that are obstructing our waterways, we’ll do so,” he said — a directive a member of his team characterised as one that would proceed “without let or hindrance.”
Asked by journalist Emmanuel Mutete whether a timeline had been set for completing the nationwide cleanup, officials reiterated that the exercise was a continuing process rather than a fixed-deadline event, though clearing work was said to be starting immediately.
Legal and humane conduct assured
The government said it remained committed to ensuring that all actions taken during the exercise are carried out professionally, humanely and in accordance with Ghana’s laws.
Members of the public were further encouraged to support the operation by keeping drains free of refuse, avoiding indiscriminate dumping of waste, reporting blocked drains, damaged bridges and dangerous structures to the appropriate authorities, observing public health advisories issued by the Ghana Health Service, and cooperating fully with officials conducting the exercise.
Part of a broader resilience strategy
Officials said the cleanup forms part of a broader national flood resilience strategy already under implementation, aimed at improving drainage infrastructure, strengthening early warning systems, enforcing planning and environmental regulations, and enhancing emergency preparedness nationwide.
“The success of this exercise depends on the collective efforts of government, local authorities, the security services, the private sector, civil society organisations, and every citizen,” Brig Gen Okae-Yebiah said. “It is through this shared effort that we will restore our communities, protect lives, and build a cleaner, safer, and more resilient Ghana.”
On behalf of the subcommittees now at work on the response, he assured President through the Office of the Chief of Staff — who is leading the mitigation effort — that officials “shall not leave any stone unturned.” He said the Emergency Communications Committee would provide regular, sustained public briefings as the operation continues.
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