Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has described the government’s two-day nationwide clean-up exercise as inadequate to tackle Ghana’s sanitation challenges, urging the formulation of a comprehensive sanitation policy.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament, on Tuesday, Mr Afenyo-Markin called on the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs to appear before the House with a clear sanitation framework.

He stressed that ad hoc clean-up campaigns cannot resolve the country’s deep-rooted sanitation problems.

The Minority Leader also demanded that Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson brief the House on the disbursement of the GH¢350 million earmarked for relief items following the June 29 floods that affected seven regions.

The nation observed a two-day nationwide clean-up exercise on July 10 and 11,2026 following a directive from President John Mahama in response to flooding and sanitation concerns.

While the initiative mobilised citizens and institutions to desilt drains and clear refuse, critics argue that such short-term measures fail to address systemic sanitation issues.

Parliament has previously debated the need for a national sanitation policy to guide waste management, flood prevention, and environmental health.

The Minority’s call adds pressure on the government to move beyond emergency responses and adopt long-term strategies for sustainable sanitation.

President John Dramani Mahama revealed that an estimated 48,000 people were displaced by the devastating floods that hit parts of the Greater Accra Region after torrential rains on June 29.

The President disclosed on Friday, July 3, 2026, while receiving the President of Sierra Leone and Chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Julius Maada Bio, who paid a solidarity visit to Ghana following the disaster.

Speaking to the media after bilateral talks, President Mahama said the floods had left thousands homeless, with deaths and several missing persons recorded.

“This downpour was huge, and we estimate that about 48,000 people were rendered homeless by the downpour, and 12 are confirmed dead; seven are still unaccounted for. We have asked the military and the joint task force to mobilise and bring things back as quickly as possible immediately,” he said.

President Mahama noted that the Ghana Armed Forces had already begun clearing choked waterways and removing garbage and debris washed across the capital by the floods as part of efforts to restore normalcy.