Accra: Floodwaters have once again engulfed parts of Ghana, prompting urgent calls for government intervention. The nation is experiencing a severe national flood emergency affecting multiple regions, including the Western, Central, Volta, and Greater Accra Regions, with thousands displaced and significant infrastructure damage reported.
According to Ghana Web, the past few weeks have seen a cascade of floods across the country. In the Western Region, the overflow of the Tano and Semre rivers displaced over 1,710 residents in the Wassa Amenfi West Municipality, submerging communities and destroying homes. In the Central Region, 18 lives were lost over the weekend due to torrential rains that swept through 13 districts. The Volta Region witnessed schools and a health centre submerged, while Accra, the capital city, awoke to flooded streets, halting daily activities.
The crisis echoes the tragic events of the June 3, 2015 disaster, prompting reflections on the lack of progress in flood risk management over the years. The situation underscores a longstanding governance issue, as highlighted by voices like Priscilla Akaibe Anderson, Esq., who emphasized the gap between written assessments and tangible infrastructure improvements.
The letter penned to the President outlines six emergency actions needed to address the crisis: declaring a national flood disaster, pre-positioning emergency supplies, conducting an emergency audit of drainage infrastructure, holding illegal developers accountable, operationalizing a parametric flood insurance program, and urging the President to visit affected communities.
Ghana's flooding issue is attributed to inadequate systems rather than extraordinary rainfall, with factors such as blocked drains and construction in floodplains exacerbating the problem. The letter concludes with a personal appeal from an 18-year-old citizen from the Volta Region, calling for immediate action to address the crisis and fulfill the government's promises of a different kind of governance.
With communities across Ghana watching closely, the government is urged to act swiftly to mitigate the impacts of the ongoing flood emergency and prevent future disasters.