(VIDEO) Ayariga Announces Major Agbogbloshie Cleanup as Government Mobilises National Resources

Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, has praised the Christian Council of Ghana for its support and described the unity demonstrated by the Church as a “miracle.”

Mr Ayariga made the remarks while delivering the keynote address at the launch of the Second Ecumenical Convention, held at the BIWC in Abelenkpe, Accra.

The convention is being held under the theme “United in Christ, Transforming Society through Creation Care.” It also marked the Minister’s first official public engagement since his appointment.

Addressing clergy, church leaders and other dignitaries, Mr Ayariga expressed appreciation to the Christian Council for what he described as its consistent support throughout his nomination, parliamentary vetting and subsequent swearing-in.

He recalled that representatives of the Council attended his parliamentary vetting and swearing-in and became the first official group to visit his office shortly after he assumed duty.

Mr Ayariga described the Christian Council as an important institution in Ghana, highlighting its historical contributions to education, healthcare and social development.

Government Launches Major Agbogbloshie Cleanup

Connecting the convention’s theme to national priorities, Mr Ayariga announced a major government-led sanitation operation to clear the waste accumulated at Agbogbloshie in Accra.

He said the President had directed him, together with the Ministers for Roads and Highways, Finance and Defence, to develop and implement a plan to completely evacuate the waste from the site.

“The President has instructed myself, the Minister for Roads, the Finance Minister and the Minister for Defence to put together a plan to ensure that every single bit of that waste is conveyed out of that site,” he said.

According to the Minister, the operation is being treated as a national emergency, with engineering units of the Ghana Armed Forces deployed to support the exercise.

He said technology, including drones and artificial intelligence, had been used to determine the estimated volume of waste at the site and assist with logistical planning.

Sanitation Equipment Mobilised

Mr Ayariga disclosed that the Ministry had directed metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies across the country to make sanitation equipment available for the operation.

The equipment to be mobilised includes 200 dump trucks, 100 lorries, 50 loaders and 49 low-bed trucks.

He added that some private contractors had also offered to provide equipment at no cost to support the cleanup exercise.

The Minister further disclosed that the Adepa landfill site off the Nsawam Road had been identified as the destination for the waste being evacuated from Agbogbloshie.

He said technical teams, including surveyors, had been working at the site to determine the volume of waste and ensure that the transportation and disposal process was properly coordinated.

Call for Church Support

Mr Ayariga appealed to religious leaders to pray for the success of the operation and encourage members of their congregations, particularly contractors and business owners, to contribute to the initiative.

“For those of you who are their church members, if you pray over them and encourage them, we will succeed,” he said.

Church Calls for Environmental Stewardship

Earlier, Prophet Dr Jonathan Nii Okai Welbeck, speaking on behalf of the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Johnson Pandit Asima, linked financial stewardship to environmental responsibility.

Quoting Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it,” he urged Christians to embrace sustainable practices and become responsible custodians of the environment.

Vice Chairman of the Christian Council and Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rt. Rev. Dr Abraham Oppong-Kwakye, also challenged misconceptions surrounding the concept of human dominion over creation.

He said Christians were not called to exploit the environment but to care for and protect what had been entrusted to them.

He expressed concern about environmental degradation and poor sanitation in Ghana and called on the Church to play a leading role in transforming communities.

The Second Ecumenical Convention will continue with engagements aimed at mobilising the Christian community to promote environmental sustainability, responsible stewardship and national renewal.