Hon John Kwabena Bless Oti
Nkwanta North

I am grateful for the opportunity to make this Statement on the recent flooding that affected parts of Accra and other communities following the heavy rains experienced over the past few days.

The Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources notes with grave concern the devastating impact of the floods, which disrupted economic activities, damaged property, displaced residents and placed many lives at risk. Several major roads and communities, including sections of the N1 Highway, the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, the Accra-Kasoa corridor, Weija, Mallam and parts of the Tema Motorway, experienced severe flooding, while similar incidents occurred in several other low-lying communities.

Mr Speaker, while we sympathise with all those affected, we must also acknowledge that the persistent flooding in our cities is largely the result of preventable human activities. Poor sanitation, indiscriminate disposal of refuse, choked drains, encroachment on waterways, weak enforcement of planning regulations, inadequate maintenance of drainage infrastructure and the growing effects of climate change continue to worsen the situation.

Over the years, Parliament has approved substantial public resources for flood mitigation, including major drainage projects such as the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project. I therefore call for a comprehensive review of the US$200 million initial funding from the World Bank in 2019, and the US$150 million additional financing in 2024 that was approved by this House for the Akufo-AddoBawumia NPP government to solve the flooding problem in Accra.

Mr Speaker, we have, as part of our oversight responsibilities, visited seven regions and have consistently observed a deterioration in environmental and sanitation outlook in many Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies; such as choked drains, indiscriminate dumping of refuse and weak enforcement of sanitation by-laws which have become the order of the day. This confirms that the flooding challenge is not only an infrastructure issue but also a sanitation and governance challenge.

Mr Speaker, the Committee is equally concerned about the shortage of Environmental Health Officers across the country. Thousands of qualified Environmental Health graduates remain unemployed, while many Assemblies lack the personnel required to monitor sanitation conditions and enforce environmental health regulations. Government should therefore recruit and deploy more Environmental Health Officers to strengthen sanitation enforcement and public education nationwide.

The Committee recommends that Government restore a dedicated Ministry for Sanitation and Water Resources to provide focused policy direction and leadership in addressing the country’s sanitation and water challenges. In addition, we propose the establishment of a National Sanitation Authority to coordinate sanitation policy, regulation, monitoring and enforcement across the country. Such an Authority would strengthen institutional coordination, improve accountability and ensure the effective implementation of national sanitation policies.

Mr Speaker, addressing flooding requires a collective national effort: Government, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), traditional authorities, the private sector, and the general public all have important roles to play. Citizens must desist from dumping refuse into drains and waterways, while the relevant institutions must enforce the law without fear or favour.

Mr Speaker, the Committee commends the National Disaster Management Authority, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), the security agencies, the National Ambulance Service, the assemblies and all volunteers for their prompt response to the emergency and their support to affected communities.

Mr Speaker, the time has come for Ghana to move from reacting to floods after they occur to preventing them through improved sanitation management and effective drainage maintenance, stronger institutions and sustained public education.

Mr Speaker, the Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources remains committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure cleaner communities, protected waterways and more resilient nation. Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity.