Flood mitigation measures across Ghana are being reassessed following the recent floods that left communities devastated, with President John Dramani Mahama saying government is preparing additional interventions to strengthen the country's response to future disasters.
Speaking during a National Security meeting on the aftermath of the floods, the President said existing strategies are being reviewed in light of increasingly severe weather patterns and the growing pressures of urban expansion.
"We are therefore reviewing the measures taken so far and assessing additional interventions that need to be implemented going forward," President Mahama said.
His remarks come after the June 29 floods, which claimed about 13 lives, displaced thousands of households and left widespread destruction across seven regions.
The President described the latest floods as one of the most destructive the country has witnessed in recent years, pointing to climate change as a key factor behind the intensity of the rainfall.
He also warned that rapid urbanisation, particularly in Accra, has compounded the problem. "The increasing demand for land to build has resulted in encroachment on areas that were originally reserved for the passage and containment of water," he said.
According to President Mahama, the steady loss of waterways and flood retention areas has reduced the city's ability to absorb heavy rainfall, increasing the risk of flooding in vulnerable communities.
Government steps up response
The President disclosed that the Ghana Armed Forces have been directed to support flood mitigation efforts while the National Disaster Management Organisation and other state agencies continue distributing relief to affected residents.
He revealed that government had established a task force before the disaster to carry out preventive works, including dredging major waterways. Despite those efforts, the volume of rainfall exceeded the capacity of existing infrastructure.
To reinforce ongoing interventions, President Mahama announced that the Minister for Finance has released resources from the national contingency fund to finance additional flood mitigation works.
The funding is expected to support projects aimed at reducing the impact of future floods, particularly in high-risk communities.
National cleanup forms part of recovery
Alongside the infrastructure response, government has declared July 10 and 11 as National General Cleaning Days in the seven flood-affected regions.
The exercise will focus on desilting drains, clearing waste from waterways and improving sanitation in an effort to minimise flood risks before the next heavy rains.
While acknowledging that flooding remains a global challenge, President Mahama insisted that Ghana can significantly reduce its impact through better planning and stronger public cooperation.
He expressed confidence that the combination of improved mitigation measures, emergency support and active citizen participation would help build more resilient communities.
The message from the Presidency was measured but clear. Floods may not be entirely avoidable, yet the scale of future disasters, President Mahama believes, can be reduced if planning keeps pace with a changing climate and a rapidly expanding urban landscape.
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