Ghana has no flooding problem; it suffers poor planning, lack of enforcement – Amanda Clinton

Legal practitioner and political analyst, Amanda Akuokor Clinton, has argued that Ghana’s poor urban planning and weak enforcement of regulations is at the root of the country’s persistent flooding.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile programme on Saturday, 24th May, she emphasised the need for proactive governance and proper enforcement mechanisms.

“We don’t have a flooding problem in Ghana. What we have is a planning and enforcement problem,” Ms Clinton stated.

• Read also: NADMO confirms 5 deaths in Accra floods, blames poor drainage, urban planning failures

She criticised successive governments for their failure to implement long-term solutions, arguing that lack of political will and institutional coordination has allowed disasters to repeat themselves each year.

Her remarks follow the National Disaster Management Organisation’s (NADMO) confirmation that five people died during the heavy flooding that hit parts of the Greater Accra Region on Sunday, 18 May.

According to NADMO, the fatalities were caused by inadequate drainage infrastructure and the unchecked spread of buildings into waterways.

NADMO’s Director of Inspectorate, Richard Amo Yartey, revealed in an interview with Channel One TV that three of the deaths occurred in Ga East Municipality, while two were recorded in Adenta.

The tragedy, Amanda Clinton argued, underscores the urgent need for the government to move from reaction to prevention in managing Ghana’s urban spaces.

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