President John Mahama has declared that the cleanliness of cities and towns will now be a decisive factor in determining the job security of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs).
Speaking in Dodowa on Friday as part of his Thank You Tour of the Greater Accra Region, Mr Mahama said sanitation standards will become a key performance indicator for local government officials under his administration.
“Cleanliness will become one of the key performance indicators for measuring the performance of MMDCEs and will determine whether they will remain in office or are removed,” the President said.
His comments come amid growing concerns over flooding in Accra and other parts of the country. The President blamed poor drainage systems, unregulated development, and the increasing effects of climate change for the recurring problem.
He described the situation as “unacceptable” and called for coordinated, urgent action.
A government task force, he revealed, has begun rolling out a comprehensive flood mitigation strategy. Measures include the desilting of drains, re-engineering of waterways, relocation of structures built in watercourses, and stricter enforcement of building regulations.
Key areas receiving immediate attention include the Odaw Basin and the Kaneshie-Mallam corridor.
Mr Mahama also expressed frustration over delays in flood prevention projects being undertaken as part of the World Bank-funded Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) programme.
He urged the public to remain vigilant, especially during the rainy season, and to avoid open drains and flood-prone zones.
In a bid to improve local sanitation efforts, the President announced that 80% of revenues from the District Assemblies Common Fund will now be disbursed directly to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), giving them greater financial autonomy.
He further disclosed that Cabinet is set to consider full decentralisation of the sanitation budget, making every district accountable for its own cleanliness.
“Accra deserves a clean and resilient environment,” he said. “That is why we are integrating the Greater Accra Flood Master Control Plan into our national climate resilience strategy.”
Source:TheDotNews