Ghanaian musician and actress Efia Odo has weighed in on the government’s National General Cleaning Days initiative, arguing that while the campaign is a step in the right direction, it will not deliver lasting results without a comprehensive sanitation system.

Reacting to the initiative in a post shared on her X page on July 10, 2026, the actress stressed that clean-up exercises alone cannot permanently address Ghana’s sanitation challenges if the necessary infrastructure for proper waste disposal remains inadequate.

According to Efia Odo, many Ghanaians are willing to dispose of waste responsibly, but the lack of accessible public waste bins and efficient garbage collection services makes it difficult for people to maintain good sanitation practices.

She called on President John Dramani Mahama’s administration to complement the clean-up exercise with long-term investments in waste management infrastructure.

“Mr President, a national clean-up exercise is a good initiative, but it won’t solve the problem without a proper sanitation system. You can’t expect people to hold onto their trash all day when there aren’t enough public bins or reliable garbage collection. We need bins on our streets, regular waste collection, and a system that makes it easy for people to do the right thing,” she wrote.

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The government’s National General Cleaning Days programme was announced in the aftermath of the devastating floods that hit several parts of the country on June 29, 2026, with the Greater Accra Region among the worst affected.

The floods claimed at least 12 lives and affected thousands of people, while homes, businesses, roads and public facilities suffered extensive damage.

The disaster also renewed concerns over blocked drains, poor waste disposal practices and the country’s preparedness for heavy rainfall.

The government has explained that the National General Cleaning Days are aimed at clearing accumulated refuse and debris, desilting choked drains and disinfecting flood-affected markets and public spaces.

The exercise is also expected to reduce the risk of disease outbreaks while improving drainage systems ahead of future heavy rains.

Mr President, a national cleanup exercise is a good initiative, but it won’t solve the problem without a proper sanitation system.
You can’t expect people to hold onto their trash all day when there aren’t enough public bins or reliable garbage collection. We need bins on our…

— EFIAODO (@Efiaodo1) July 10, 2026