This time must be different in tackling Accra floods – Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has urged Ghanaians to adopt lasting measures to end Accra’s perennial flooding after widespread destruction caused by heavy rains.

The appeal followed an aerial tour of flood-affected communities on Sunday as authorities assessed the scale of the disaster.

On Monday, torrential rains continued to batter the capital, leaving four people dead, inundating homes and causing severe traffic congestion.

“We shouldn’t become like the vulture who, any time it is raining, he says as soon as it stops raining, he’ll repair his roof. And then as soon as it stops raining, he’ll say, ‘It has stopped raining, so there’s no need to repair the roof.’ This time should be different,” President Mahama said.

He attributed the flooding to a combination of record rainfall, blocked waterways and human activities that have restricted the natural flow of streams into the Atlantic Ocean.

According to him, climate change has increased rainfall intensity over recent years, while poor planning and indiscriminate waste disposal have compounded the challenge.

“But then there’s also the engineering and the man-made causes,” he said, adding that “dumping garbage in the drains” and the filling of wetlands for construction continue to worsen flooding across the city.

The President announced that government would convene a National Security Council meeting and direct all district assemblies to identify buildings obstructing waterways for removal.

He said the exercise would include clearing demolition debris to ensure channels remain open.

Mr Mahama also expressed sympathy to families who lost relatives and property during the floods and praised the military, NADMO, the police and other emergency response agencies for rescuing stranded residents.

He disclosed that the Minister for Finance had been instructed to release funds from the contingency fund to support victims, while government pursues engineering interventions and long-term urban planning measures aimed at reducing flood risks in the capital.