Accra: An Environmental Analyst has highlighted that flooding in parts of the country, particularly in Accra, is not just an engineering challenge but also a sanitation and behavioural issue.
According to Ghana News Agency, the analyst emphasized that clogged drains filled with plastics, refuse, and silt obstruct stormwater flow, leading to flooding in the region.
Reverend Richard Mawutor Buamah, the Environmental Analyst, made these remarks in a press release titled 'Ghana's Unsung Pillars of Sanitation, Public Health, Behavioural Change And Flood Prevention.' The statement, which was shared with the Ghana News Agency in Ho, pointed out that while climate change and heavy rainfall contribute to flooding, it is poor sanitation, indiscriminate waste disposal, and blocked drainage systems that are the major drivers.
The statement further highlighted that the recurring floods in the country have devastating effects, including the destruction of lives, property, and livelihoods. Additionally, these floods exacerbate public health risks, leading to outbreaks of diseases like cholera, typhoid, diarrhoea, malaria, and hepatitis.
Rev. Buamah stressed that Ghana's sanitation challenges are heavily influenced by human behaviour, with a persistent disregard for sanitation regulations despite increased public awareness. He argued that effective solutions would require both behavioural and attitudinal change along with infrastructure development.
The Environmental Analyst underscored the pivotal role of Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) in addressing these challenges. Their work encompasses sanitation management, waste control, environmental monitoring, disease prevention, public education, and enforcement of sanitation laws, placing them at the forefront of flood prevention efforts.
However, Rev. Buamah noted that Environmental Health Units across the country are facing significant constraints, including inadequate staffing, logistics, and funding. He pointed out that many trained graduates from the School of Hygiene remain unemployed, limiting the national capacity to effectively tackle sanitation and environmental health challenges.
This gap, he said, weakens the enforcement of critical laws such as the Local Government Act (2016), Public Health Act (2012), Environmental Protection Act (2025), and related planning and sanitation regulations. Rev. Buamah called for improving the ratio of EHOs to the population and adequately resourcing these units to enhance inspection, environmental surveillance, waste management, public education, and flood prevention.
He emphasized that EHOs are not merely inspectors but are key public health protectors, environmental managers, and agents of behavioural change. Their work is vital to building cleaner communities, reducing disease outbreaks, and enhancing climate and flood resilience.
Rev. Buamah urged for immediate action to recruit and deploy qualified graduates, improve logistics and funding, strengthen the enforcement of sanitation laws, and incorporate Environmental Health Professionals in policymaking and planning. He concluded that investing in Environmental Health Services is a strategic investment in the country's public health, environment, and sustainable development.