Floods in Accra and beyond: a national wake-up call
Commentary calls for stricter enforcement of planning laws, responsible environmental practices and collective action to prevent recurring flood disasters in Ghana.
The recent heavy rains that inundated Accra and 18 other Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) have once again laid bare the deep-rooted challenges confronting Ghana’s urban planning, environmental management and disaster preparedness systems.
The disaster has claimed many lives, including women and children, displaced thousands of residents, destroyed homes and businesses, and inflicted severe losses on farmers, particularly poultry producers, many of whom lost thousands of birds to the floods. Behind these statistics are grieving families, shattered livelihoods and communities struggling to rebuild.
While the intensity of the rainfall undoubtedly contributed to the flooding, the greater tragedy is that many of its underlying causes are man-made.
The indiscriminate construction of buildings on waterways, the reckless disposal of refuse into drains, poor waste management practices, and the erection of structures without the required permits or proper engineering oversight have significantly worsened the situation.
Equally troubling is the failure of some public officials entrusted with planning and regulating our cities. In some cases, professionals and regulatory authorities have compromised their responsibilities by permitting private developers, and, in certain instances, foreign investors, to build on waterways and other unauthorised locations.
Such actions undermine the rule of law and place countless lives at risk.
Citizens, too, must accept their share of responsibility.
Environmental sanitation is a collective duty. When drains are used as dumping grounds for household waste or waterways are deliberately obstructed, we create the very conditions that lead to avoidable disasters.
The cost of these failures is enormous. Beyond the tragic loss of lives, thousands have been displaced, livelihoods have been destroyed, businesses have suffered significant setbacks, and the nation will be compelled to spend scarce resources on relief and reconstruction, funds that could otherwise support development.
It is therefore imperative that the Government of Ghana, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, and all relevant regulatory institutions take bold and decisive action.
Every structure obstructing natural waterways must be removed, regardless of the identity or status of its owner. The law must be enforced fairly, consistently and without fear or favour.
However, government alone cannot solve this problem. Preventing future disasters will require the active cooperation of every Ghanaian.
Responsible citizenship, environmental consciousness and respect for planning regulations must become national priorities.
As these necessary interventions are undertaken, I sincerely hope they will not be politicised. Protecting lives, safeguarding property and preserving our environment are national responsibilities that should rise above political, ethnic and personal interests. The consequences of inaction affect us all.
I extend my deepest condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones in this heartbreaking tragedy.
I also sympathise with everyone whose homes, businesses, farms and other valuable property have been destroyed. May the Almighty God comfort the bereaved, strengthen those affected and grant our leaders the wisdom and courage to make the difficult but necessary decisions required to prevent such disasters from recurring.
Let this tragedy become a turning point for our nation. If we fail to learn from it, history will continue to repeat itself.
But if we choose responsible leadership, accountable governance, strict enforcement of our laws and active citizen participation, we can build safer, cleaner and more resilient communities for ourselves and for generations yet unborn.
God bless our homeland Ghana and make our nation great and strong.
By: Maxwell Douglas Akanuwe, Communication Student, African University for Communication and Business (AUCB).
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