Environmental groups in Ghana are sounding the alarm over the capital city Accra’s vulnerability to flooding. They are urging the government to prioritise flood defenses and come up with other preventative measures.
Almost 3 million people live in Accra, which has seen tens of thousands of residents forced to move to high-risk flood zones due to overcrowding. This issue has been magnified by the increasing frequency and intensity of rainstorms driven by climate change.
Adiza Abdul Mumin, a resident of Adabraka – a flood-prone slum in Accra – has witnessed the devastating impact of flooding over the last 15 years.
“During the rainy season, things get really bad. I barely sleep well at night because the flood fills up my room. Any time that happens, my blood pressure goes up,” she said.
Many fear that a surge in deadly diseases and other illnesses could be triggered by these flood conditions.
Malik Mino Ereira, an environmentalist for the organisation Planet Waves attributes the situation to poor urban planning, as well as a lack of enforcement of existing regulations.
“It is because of poor planning, as a result of city authorities not enforcing the laws. The second one has to do with urbanization, because people come, and they need a place to stay. So, they will clear the vegetation and get a place to stay,” said Ereira.
Many homes in Accra are situated in low-lying areas, increasing their susceptibility to flooding. Ereira points to clogged drains filled with silt and plastic as a prime example of the city’s inadequate infrastructure. These hinder proper water flow and exacerbate flooding.
“When we build, we will create spaces where water will pass so that the flooding will not occur. And secondly, we should address the sanitation situation, so that people will not use the gutters as a conduit to dump their waste. And then those who are rich, please, if you are building, create spaces for the greenery, revive the green culture so that the trees will absorb the water.,” said Ereira.
While local authorities have undertaken temporary measures such as dredging drains and demolishing structures along waterways, for many these solutions are insufficient.
Environmentalists argue that a complete overhaul of the city’s housing is necessary, pointing to rising sea levels which pose an increasing threat to coastal communities like Accra.
As authorities struggle to make Accra more flood-resilient, residents like Adiza face a difficult choice: abandon their homes or brace for increasingly challenging conditions.
Additional sources • AP
