Flooding in Accra: Mahama orders demolition of structures on waterways

President John Dramani Mahama has issued a seminal directive, mandating the immediate demolition of structures erected on waterways surrounding Mallam Junction in the Weija Gbawe Municipality.

This executive order aims to ameliorate the debilitating impact of perennial floods in the area, which have resulted in irreparable loss of lives and destruction of property over the years.

The President’s decree follows a recent inspection tour of flood-prone areas in Accra, where he engaged in a constructive dialogue with city engineers, municipal authorities, and residents to assess the extent of the problem.

During the tour, Mahama expressed profound concern over the unregulated construction of buildings and other structures on waterways, which he identified as a primary contributor to the frequent flooding in the area.

Addressing the city engineers and municipal authorities, President Mahama posed a poignant question, querying the rationale behind allowing settlements and commercial structures to sprout up in natural drainage channels.

“The assembly here, how did you sit and allow this to happen? How did the assembly allow this to happen? And that is why you have the chief executive, have assembly members. They must be conscious of all this. These are waterways. Can you imagine the volume of water that this place alone can hold when it rains?” he asked.

Mahama further emphasized the sheer magnitude of water that the Mallam Junction area is designed to accommodate during heavy rains, cautioning that improper planning and unauthorized development would only exacerbate the situation.

“And so if you fill it up and you say there should just be a drain passing through, the drain cannot contain that water. And so let’s do what we have to do. They should remove all these.”

Flooding has remained one of the most pressing urban challenges in Accra, particularly in low-lying areas such as Mallam Junction, Weija, Odawna, Kaneshie, and Circle.

The persistent problem has often been attributed to poor drainage systems, the indiscriminate disposal of waste, and, more critically, the encroachment of buildings and structures on natural floodplains and drainage channels.

Despite multiple warnings and demolition exercises in the past, unauthorized construction continues to worsen the situation, prompting the President’s directive for immediate action.