President John Mahama has directed the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Ablekuma Central Municipal Assembly and other local authorities to intensify sanitation enforcement and protect the land being reclaimed through the Agbogbloshie waste evacuation exercise.

He said the success of the exercise would not be measured solely by the removal of the accumulated waste but also by the ability of local authorities to prevent the area from becoming an illegal dumping site again.

Speaking at the commencement of the National Emergency Waste Evacuation Exercise at Agbogbloshie on Friday, September 18, President Mahama urged the assemblies to work closely with traditional authorities, community leaders and security agencies to protect the reclaimed land.

He stressed the need for firm, fair and sustained enforcement of sanitation regulations, saying the necessary measures must be put in place while the evacuation exercise is still ongoing.

President Mahama said the Agbogbloshie exercise formed part of broader efforts to restore order, improve public health and reclaim degraded urban spaces for productive use.

He disclosed that the cleared site would support the proposed Agbogbloshie Urban Renewal Project, with plans to transform portions of the reclaimed land into an industrial area capable of supporting economic activity and creating jobs.

The President said government had mobilised heavy-duty equipment, trucks, personnel and other resources for the exercise, and expected the sanitation gains to be sustained through stronger enforcement at the local level.

He also announced that equipment mobilised under the District Roads Improvement Project (DRIP) for the Agbogbloshie operation would subsequently be deployed to other districts and municipalities to support similar waste evacuation exercises where necessary.

President Mahama further outlined a broader national waste management programme involving the provision of household waste bins, additional transfer stations, engineered landfill facilities and expanded recycling infrastructure.

He called on residents, traders, businesses and transport operators to support the enforcement efforts by disposing of waste responsibly and keeping public spaces clean.

He said drains, rivers, lagoons, markets, roadsides and open spaces must be kept clean to build healthier and more resilient communities.

President Mahama stressed that lasting improvements in sanitation would require strong institutions, consistent enforcement and responsible behaviour from citizens.

He warned that the country could not continue spending public funds to repeatedly clear the same refuse dumps without addressing the practices that cause them to re-emerge.