President Mahama forms Anti-Flood Taskforce to tackle Ghana’s flooding crisis
President John Dramani Mahama has established a seven-member Anti-Flood Taskforce to combat Ghana’s persistent flooding challenges.
The task force is chaired by Mr Stanislav Xoese Dogbe, Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations at the Presidency.
Other members include Mr Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing; Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs; Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Abdul Osman Razak, National Security Coordinator; Mr Teddy Addi, Deputy Director-General of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO); and Madam Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, Legal Counsel to the President and Secretary to the taskforce.
As part of its field operations, the Anti-Flood Taskforce conducted an aerial reconnaissance mission on Wednesday to assess flood-prone areas and gather critical data to prevent future disasters. The inspection covered key locations including Weija, the Sakumono Ramsar site, and the Tema Fishing Harbour area.
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Following the aerial survey, Mr Stanislav Dogbe announced that the government will enforce stricter flood prevention measures. He disclosed that the 48 Engineers Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces, in collaboration with local government authorities, will immediately commence desilting of major drains to improve water flow and mitigate flood risks.
Additionally, a road reconnaissance survey will be undertaken to assess the impact of poor drainage systems on flooding.
Brigadier General Richard Kinney, Commander of the Engineer Brigade of the Ghana Armed Forces, attributed Ghana’s recurring floods to indiscipline among residents living in flood-prone areas. He emphasised that preventing construction in waterways is a critical step in addressing the crisis.
Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, assured that the flood assessment efforts will be extended beyond Accra to other regions.
"The rains will be setting in soon, and permanent solutions must be implemented. But in the interim, maintenance works like desilting must be the immediate step," he stated.
