The Chairman of Parliament’s Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources, Hon. John Oti Bless, has warned that Ghana’s flooding challenge has escalated beyond Accra into a full-scale national crisis requiring urgent structural intervention.
Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday on the recent flooding, the MP for Nkwanta North said the recent heavy rains had triggered severe flooding across multiple regions, disrupting livelihoods, damaging property and displacing residents.
He noted that key parts of the capital, including the N1 Highway, Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, Accra–Kasoa corridor, Weija–Malam and sections of Tema, were among the worst affected, alongside several low-lying communities nationwide.
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The Committee Chairman stressed that while intense rainfall contributed to the disaster, the persistent flooding is largely driven by human behaviour.
He cited poor sanitation, indiscriminate waste disposal, choked drains, encroachment on waterways, weak enforcement of planning regulations and inadequate drainage maintenance as major factors aggravating the situation.
He also acknowledged the role of climate change but insisted that governance and environmental management failures remain central to the recurring floods.
Hon. Oti Bless raised concerns about the utilisation of funds allocated to flood mitigation, referencing the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project.
He called for a comprehensive review of the US$200 million World Bank funding approved in 2019 and the additional US$150 million approved in 2024, questioning the effectiveness of implementation and oversight.
The Committee Chairman revealed that oversight visits across seven regions have shown a worsening sanitation situation in metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies.
He cited widespread choked drains, poor waste disposal practices and weak enforcement of sanitation by-laws, warning that the problem is now nationwide rather than confined to urban centres.
Hon. Oti Bless recommended the restoration of a dedicated Ministry for Sanitation and Water Resources to provide focused leadership on sanitation and water management.
He proposed the establishment of a National Sanitation Authority to coordinate policy implementation, regulation and enforcement across the country.
The Committee Chairman emphasized that addressing flooding requires a collective national effort involving government, local assemblies, traditional authorities, the private sector and citizens.
He urged the public to stop dumping waste into drains, while calling on authorities to enforce sanitation laws without fear or favour.
He commended the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ghana National Fire Service, security agencies, the National Ambulance Service, assemblies and volunteers for their swift response to recent flooding emergencies.
He stressed the need for a shift from reactive disaster response to long-term prevention strategies.
Hon. Oti Bless concluded that Ghana must urgently move from reacting to floods to preventing them through stronger institutions, improved drainage systems and sustained public education.
He warned that without decisive reforms, flooding will continue to threaten lives, property and national development.