Ghana's President Mahama Leads National Clean-Up Exercise, but Experts Say Leadership is About Building Systems, Not Brooms

The single sharpest fact in one or two punchy sentences.

Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama joined a national clean-up exercise after recent floods, but leadership experts argue that building systems to prevent waste accumulation is a more important task for his government.

Leadership is not about holding a broom after a flood, but rather about building systems that prevent the flood in the first place. Joseph Cudjoe, a former Minister for Public Enterprises, made this point clear in his recent article, saying that waste management should be a daily public service, not an occasional national event.

A National Clean-up Day has its place in promoting civic responsibility and encouraging volunteerism, but it should never become the centrepiece of a nation's waste management policy. Instead of relying on periodic clean-up campaigns, Ghana needs a modern, professional, year-round waste management system that prevents disasters instead of responding to them.

The recent floods did not create the mountains of waste that we are now cleaning. They merely exposed and displaced waste that had already accumulated in our drains, waterways, and public spaces. This is why accumulated waste contributes to flooding, and the logical response is to prevent its accumulation—not to organise emergency clean-up campaigns after tragedy has struck.

Ghana's President Mahama should focus on building institutions, financing sanitation services, enforcing sanitation by-laws, maintaining drains, and ensuring that waste is collected before it becomes a hazard. This is the difference between responsive leadership and preventive leadership.

The President is not just a figurehead; he has the power to shape the country's policy and direction. And if anything, excessive dependence on periodic clean-up campaigns risks creating the mindset that waste can accumulate for weeks or months and then be removed during a national exercise.

Joseph Cudjoe, a former Minister for Public Enterprises, is a leading voice in Ghana's sanitation sector. As a former Deputy Minister for Energy and a former Member of Parliament, he has a deep understanding of the challenges facing Ghana's waste management system.

The recent floods in Ghana have exposed the country's vulnerability to climate change and the urgent need for effective waste management systems. But instead of taking a step back and reassessing the country's approach to waste management, President Mahama's government is focusing on periodic clean-up exercises.

A National Clean-up Day has its place, but it should never become the centrepiece of a nation's waste management policy. Instead of relying on periodic clean-up campaigns, Ghana needs a modern, professional, year-round waste management system that prevents disasters instead of responding to them.

Ghana's waste management system is in a dire state. With inadequate infrastructure and limited resources, many of the country's sanitation services are struggling to cope with the demands of a growing population.

President Mahama's government has the power to shape the country's policy and direction. And if anything, excessive dependence on periodic clean-up campaigns risks creating the mindset that waste can accumulate for weeks or months and then be removed during a national exercise.

The President should focus on building institutions, financing sanitation services, enforcing sanitation by-laws, maintaining drains, and ensuring that waste is collected before it becomes a hazard. This is the difference between responsive leadership and preventive leadership.

### Ghana's Sanitation Sector

Ghana's sanitation sector is a complex and fragmented system that requires a coordinated approach to address the country's waste management challenges. The country's sanitation infrastructure is in a state of disrepair, with many of its wastewater treatment plants and sewage systems in need of repair or replacement.

The government has a critical role to play in addressing Ghana's sanitation challenges. This includes investing in infrastructure, enforcing sanitation by-laws, and ensuring that waste is collected and disposed of properly.

President Mahama's government should focus on building a modern, professional, year-round waste management system that prevents disasters instead of responding to them. This will require addressing the root causes of Ghana's sanitation problems, including inadequate infrastructure, limited resources, and a lack of public awareness and engagement.

President Mahama's Leadership Style

President Mahama's leadership style has been criticized for being overly reliant on periodic clean-up campaigns rather than addressing the underlying causes of Ghana's sanitation problems.

The President has a unique opportunity to shape the country's policy and direction, and he should use this opportunity to invest in the country's sanitation infrastructure, enforce sanitation by-laws, and ensure that waste is collected and disposed of properly.

By focusing on building systems to prevent waste accumulation, President Mahama can demonstrate a commitment to preventive leadership and a desire to build a modern, professional, year-round waste management system.