NPP accuses government of failing on flood management, demands urgent reforms
The NPP says persistent flooding across parts of Ghana reflects failures in coordination and leadership, calling for urgent reforms to strengthen flood management efforts.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has criticised the government over its handling of the recurring flooding situation in parts of the country, accusing the administration of lacking leadership and failing to implement effective flood control measures.
In a press statement issued on June 29, and signed by the party’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, the NPP expressed sympathy to thousands of Ghanaians affected by the floods and called on the government to move beyond what it described as “public relations gimmicks” to address the crisis.
The party said communities including the N1 Highway, Apenkwa, Achimota, Kaneshie, Weija, Spintex, Darkuman Junction and the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange had once again been severely affected by flooding, describing the situation as evidence of persistent governance failures.
According to the NPP, flood management under the current administration has been weakened by the division of responsibilities between the Ministry of Local Government and the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources. It argued that the arrangement has created confusion over mandates, slowed decision-making and undermined coordinated action.
The opposition party further criticised the appointment of the Deputy Chief of Staff to coordinate flood response efforts, arguing that the office lacks the statutory authority to direct sector ministers and effectively manage a national disaster response.
The statement also alleged that some announced anti-flood interventions have either not been implemented or have been poorly executed. It further claimed that delays in the release of funding for flood mitigation projects have hampered efforts to address the problem.
The NPP took issue with recent comments by President John Dramani Mahama suggesting that poor environmental practices and indiscipline among citizens contribute to flooding.
The party rejected the notion that flood management should be viewed primarily as a “shared responsibility,” insisting that government bears the constitutional responsibility to provide effective leadership and infrastructure.
“The fight against flooding is not an excuse to avoid accountability,” the statement said, arguing that government must accept responsibility for the country’s flood management framework.
The NPP called on President Mahama to immediately streamline flood management under a single accountable ministry, appoint an empowered minister to lead flood response efforts, and provide a comprehensive public account of the activities and expenditure of the anti-flood task force.
Additionally, the party urged the government to work more closely with Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, as well as technical experts, to address land use planning, sanitation management and the construction of resilient drainage infrastructure.
The NPP concluded by reaffirming its commitment to holding the government accountable while expressing solidarity with families displaced by the floods. It pledged to continue monitoring the administration’s response to the recurring flooding challenge.
Mike 105.3FM I Navrongo | David Adapuna
