All markets and shops in Accra must close on Friday and Saturday for national clean-up exercise

• All markets and shops in Accra will close on July 10 and 11 for the national clean-up exercise.

• Local Government Minister Ahmed Ibrahim says security agencies will enforce the directive.

• Government says the exercise is aimed at clearing debris, disinfecting markets and preventing disease outbreaks after the recent floods.

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Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim said the directive forms part of measures to ensure a successful clean-up and prevent disease outbreaks in flood-affected communities.

Speaking ahead of the exercise, the Minister stressed that compliance would be strictly enforced, with the security services fully involved.

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"Everybody must be on board. All markets and shops must be closed, and this one, the CDS is on board and the IGP is on board, and the Controller General for Immigration is on board. So if you go and open your shop, you will be on fire. This is not just the normal thing that we've been doing," he said.

Mr Ibrahim further warned that the directive should not be treated lightly, saying it had been issued under the authority of President John Dramani Mahama.

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"If a president speaks, and you want to take it for granted, the law will deal with you. He is the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces. All shops will be closed, all markets will be closed, and the market, when the flood came, it entered most of the market," he stated.

According to the Minister, temporarily shutting down commercial activities will allow authorities to remove debris, disinfect markets and reduce the risk of disease outbreaks.

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"So if we don't close them and sweep and collect all the debris and disinfect most of the places they will be buying, selling all those things for us to eat, there will be outbreak of diseases and those things," he added.

The clean-up exercise, organised under the auspices of the Post-Flood Mitigation Committee, will be held under the theme, "Our Actions, Our Future: Cleaning Ghana after the floods."

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Government has directed all ministers, chief executives, Members of Parliament, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, heads of public institutions, security agencies and residents to participate in the exercise to help restore flood-affected communities and improve sanitation.