Decades of poor planning behind Accra flooding crisis

The President of the Ghana Institution of Engineers (GhIE), Ing. Ludwig Annang Hesse, has blamed Accra’s recurring floods on years of poor urban planning and unchecked development.

Reacting to the widespread flooding that followed Wednesday’s rainstorm, he said the city’s natural flood-control systems have been steadily destroyed over the past three to four decades.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Ing. Hesse said construction on water-retention areas and low-lying lands has significantly increased Accra’s vulnerability to flooding.

“For the past 30 or 40 years, we have done things the wrong way. We have filled all the water-retention areas and low-lying lands, and we have built in places where development should never have occurred,” he said.

He noted that the destruction of natural drainage systems has accelerated the movement of stormwater into the city.

“Water that once took about 12 hours to travel from Aburi to Accra now takes roughly an hour. The natural systems that slowed down the movement of water have been destroyed,” he added.

According to him, nearly all the areas that once absorbed excess rainwater have been compromised.

“All the water-retention areas in Accra have been compromised. We have brought this situation upon ourselves. We do not need a prophet anymore,” he said.

Ing. Hesse called for stricter enforcement of planning regulations and measures to restore critical water-retention systems, warning that flooding will remain a recurring problem if current development practices continue.

His comments come as parts of Accra continue to experience flooding after rainfall, with lives lost and properties damaged in several incidents over the years.

Source: myjoyonline.com