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AfriSAFE, a leading pan-African safety advocacy platform and organiser of the Africa Safety Congress and Awards, has commended the President of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, for his exemplary leadership and personal participation in the country’s post-flood sanitation and clean-up exercise.
The National General Cleaning Days, themed “Our Actions, Our Future: Cleaning Ghana After the Floods,” followed the heavy rains experienced in June, which resulted in the loss of lives, displacement of residents and disruption to communities.
AfriSAFE extended its deepest condolences to families who lost loved ones and expressed solidarity with individuals, businesses and communities affected by the floods.
The organisation praised President Mahama’s decision to join citizens, security agencies, local assemblies and other stakeholders in cleaning affected communities and desilting drains, describing the initiative as a demonstration of leadership by example.
According to AfriSAFE, the exercise reinforces the importance of collective responsibility, public participation and institutional collaboration in promoting environmental sanitation, public health and community safety.
“President Mahama’s personal involvement in this exercise sends a powerful message about leadership, civic responsibility and national unity,” said Femi Da-Silva, Chief Executive Officer of AfriSAFE.
“We commend the Government of Ghana for mobilising institutions, communities and citizens around the shared objective of restoring affected areas and strengthening public safety awareness.”
Da-Silva noted that flooding, environmental sanitation, waste management and emergency preparedness remain shared development priorities across many African countries.
He added that initiatives such as Ghana’s national clean-up exercise provide opportunities for African nations, including Nigeria, to continue exchanging experiences, strengthening cooperation and promoting practical approaches to safer and more resilient communities.
“African countries face different environmental and urban-development realities, but there is significant value in learning from one another and sharing solutions that can complement existing national and local efforts,” he said.
AfriSAFE acknowledged the ongoing efforts of governments, emergency-management institutions, environmental agencies, corporate organisations and community groups across Nigeria and other African countries in addressing flooding, sanitation and public-safety challenges.
The organisation called for continued collaboration among governments, businesses, professional bodies, civil-society organisations and residents to strengthen environmental responsibility and community resilience.
AfriSAFE identified several areas that can support sustainable safety and environmental development across the continent, including:
– Continuous public education on sanitation and environmental safety;
– Regular maintenance and improvement of drainage infrastructure;
– Responsible waste management and sustainable plastic-disposal practices;
– Protection of natural waterways and flood-prone areas;
– Greater community involvement in emergency preparedness; and
– Stronger collaboration among government institutions, businesses and professional organisations.
AfriSAFE emphasised that these measures are relevant to rapidly developing African cities working to protect lives, livelihoods, businesses and public infrastructure.
The organisation disclosed that urban safety, environmental resilience, emergency preparedness, electrical safety, decent work and climate-responsive public-health strategies will feature prominently at the upcoming 8th Africa Safety Congress and Awards.
The continental event is scheduled to take place from November 5–6, 2026, at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, Ghana, under the theme:
“Safeguarding Lives. Securing the Future.”
As part of activities leading up to the congress, AfriSAFE has also announced a major corporate social responsibility initiative aimed at equipping communities across Africa with practical life-saving skills.
“Ahead of the main event, the Africa Safety Congress will provide free emergency-response and first-aid training to more than 10,000 people across selected African countries,” Da-Silva announced.
“Of these opportunities, 1,000 slots will be dedicated to participants in Ghana, the host country, to support government institutions, professional bodies and local communities in advancing public safety and emergency-response capacity.”
AfriSAFE stated that the wider continental initiative will promote knowledge sharing, capacity development and stronger emergency preparedness among individuals and institutions across participating African countries.
The congress is being organised in collaboration with key Ghanaian professional and industry stakeholders, including the Ghana Institute of Safety and Environmental Professionals and the Ghana Electrical Contractors Association.
The presidents of the two organisations, Dr. Miriam Eduful and Mr. Awal Sakib, encouraged residents, corporate organisations and businesses to support the national clean-up initiative and maintain responsible waste-disposal practices beyond the official exercise.
The November gathering is expected to bring together policymakers, regulators, safety professionals, environmental experts, emergency-response institutions, corporate executives and development leaders from Nigeria and other African countries.
Participants will share experiences and explore practical solutions for strengthening workplace safety, environmental responsibility, emergency preparedness and community resilience across the continent.
About AfriSAFE
AfriSAFE—the Africa Safety Award for Excellence—and the Africa Safety Congress provide a leading continental platform for promoting occupational health and safety, environmental responsibility, emergency preparedness, sustainable development and the recognition of safety excellence across Africa.
The 2026 Africa Safety Congress and Awards will take place from November 5–6, 2026, at the Labadi Beach Hotel, Accra, Ghana.
For further information, nominations and registration, visit www.afrisafe.org
