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Trust the Experts: Ghana Engineers Lay Out Flood Prevention Roadmap

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The Ghana Institution of Engineering says the country has all the technical knowledge it needs — what’s lacking is the will to act.

ACCRA — As floodwaters recede across Ghana’s capital, revealing a trail of devastation that has claimed at least 12 lives, displaced thousands and reduced homes and businesses to muddy ruins, the country’s top engineers have issued an urgent and detailed roadmap to break the cycle of perennial flooding.

In a comprehensive position statement released on June 30, the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE) said Ghana possesses sufficient technical expertise to solve its flooding crisis — the real challenge is the failure to implement well-established solutions.

“Ghana does not have a knowledge problem. We have an action problem,” the engineers declared. “We are simply choosing, year after year, not to change.”

The Diagnosis: A Structural Crisis, Not Seasonal

The GhIE’s policy brief pulls no punches. It warns that Ghana’s current drainage systems are “no longer capable” of addressing the realities of rapid urbanisation, climate variability and increasing flood risks. The problem, the engineers say, is systemic.

“Flooding in Accra is no longer simply a seasonal occurrence,” the policy brief states. “It is increasingly becoming a structural challenge driven by rapid urbanisation, loss of natural infiltration areas, and fragmented management systems”.

The engineers note that flooding has become more frequent and severe over the past decade, occurring even during periods of relatively low rainfall — evidence that the problem extends well beyond climate change. Many drains have effectively become conduits for solid waste, sharply reducing their capacity. The Odaw-Korle drainage system, in particular, continues to suffer from hydraulic constraints that drive recurring flood events across the capital.

Institutional fragmentation compounds the crisis. Responsibilities for drainage and flood control are scattered across multiple agencies, while administrative boundaries frequently fail to align with natural drainage basins — a mismatch that makes coordinated, catchment-wide planning nearly impossible.

The Roadmap: A 19-Point Plan for Action

To avert future disasters, the GhIE has proposed a comprehensive package of 19 measures spanning immediate, medium and long-term actions.

Immediate Actions

The engineers call for emergency responders to remain deployed at the worst-hit locations — including the Tetteh Quashie and Spintex underpasses, Weija, Mallam, the N1 and Kasoa corridor, Achimota, Abofu, Odawna, Adabraka, Kaneshie and Madina — to continue rescue operations and account for the missing.

The Electricity Company of Ghana and GRIDCo are urged to switch off power in flooded zones to prevent electrocution, while the fire service should be positioned near markets where flood and fire now arrive together.

Excavators and desilting crews should be dispatched immediately to clear the Odaw and Korle system’s bottlenecks, particularly the Odaw outfall, which continues to back water up into the city.

“With more rain forecast within the day, every metre of cleared drain matters,” the engineers warned.

Medium-Term Interventions

The GhIE recommends that waste collection services be restored to a dependable schedule in every community, so that households are not forced to choose between costly informal collectors and the nearest gutter. Sanitation by-laws must be enforced strictly.

The Department of Urban Roads and the Ghana Highway Authority should be formally integrated into the flood response strategy. All roadside drains and culverts in flood-prone areas should be audited, rehabilitated and routinely maintained.

“Every new road project must incorporate functional drainage infrastructure backed by dedicated maintenance budgets,” the engineers insist. “A road built without a working drain is just a future flood channel”.

Long-Term Reforms

At the policy level, the GhIE is calling for a fundamental shift in how Ghana approaches stormwater management. The Institution is advocating a transition from traditional centralised, conveyance-based drainage systems to decentralised, nature-based solutions that mimic natural hydrological processes.

Recommended interventions include:

  • Permeable pavements
  • Bioswales and rain gardens
  • Green roofs
  • Detention and retention systems
  • Infiltration facilities
  • Riparian buffers
  • Rainwater harvesting

The Institution is also calling for:

  • A National Post-Development Runoff Control Policy to ensure that new developments do not generate runoff volumes and peak flows beyond pre-development conditions
  • A National Rainwater Harvesting Policy
  • Stronger enforcement of land-use regulations, including halting construction on waterways and wetlands
  • Catchment-based planning units with authority to coordinate the numerous agencies responsible for stormwater management
  • Protection of waterway buffer zones
  • Greater private-sector participation in green infrastructure development

A Warning on Development

Perhaps the GhIE’s most pointed message is directed at unchecked development. The engineers call for a halt to construction on waterways and wetlands, and the removal of illegal structures obstructing major drains.

“Stop building in the wrong places, and mean it,” the engineers urged. “This is the hardest step, because it touches powerful interests and uncomfortable permits. It is also the one that matters most, because no amount of engineering can save a city that keeps building over its own rivers”.

The Benefits: Why Act Now?

According to the GhIE, adopting these measures could significantly reduce flood frequency and severity, improve water quality, lower long-term infrastructure costs, create green jobs, and strengthen Ghana’s resilience to climate change.

The recommendations align with global best practices in sustainable urban drainage and support the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

The Bottom Line

“The evidence is clear,” the report concludes. “Ghana must shift from downstream, conveyance-based engineering to upstream, decentralised, nature-mimicking stormwater management. The time for policy reform is now”.

The GhIE has also announced plans to closely monitor government commitments on infrastructure projects, particularly those aimed at addressing flooding.

“We are going to monitor government’s infrastructure promises, especially those relating to drainage and flood control projects, to ensure they are properly implemented,” the Institution said.

For the thousands of Ghanaians who lost homes, livelihoods and loved ones in the June 29 floods, the engineers’ message is clear: the solutions exist. What is needed now is the political will to implement them.

Ghana News

Ghana’s Nationwide Flood Clean-Up Kicks Off with Slow Start

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ACCRA, Ghana – July 10, 2026 – A two-day nationwide clean-up exercise across seven flood-ravaged regions began Friday morning sluggishly.

Authorities have been urging residents, businesses, and institutions to ramp up participation as teams work to clear refuse, desilt choked drains, and restore public spaces following recent devastating floods.

The exercise, which commenced at 6:00 am local time, will run until 1:00 pm and resume on Saturday, July 11, during the same hours. While early-morning activity in several metropolitan areas was initially subdued, officials report that momentum is gradually building as local assemblies, waste management contractors, security services, and volunteer groups deploy to designated hotspots.

According to the government’s outlined schedule, the first day focuses on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), public and private institutions, educational bodies, and waste management firms.

Saturday’s phase will pivot toward community-led efforts, tapping into residents, traditional authorities, and volunteer networks to drive localized clean-up at the grassroots level.

In a bid to maximize turnout, non-essential shops, markets, and commercial establishments within the seven affected regions have been ordered to shut their doors from 6:00 am to 1:00 pm on both days, with exemptions granted only to essential and emergency service providers.

The Ministry has called on transport operators, religious groups, and corporate entities to actively back the initiative, framing it as a critical step toward restoring safe, hygienic communities after the flooding crisis.

Greater Accra, the epicenter of the recent deluge, hosts the bulk of the operation, with authorities identifying 104 flood-prone and affected locations across 17 assemblies. Key areas include, Ga South (Tetegu, STC, Mallam East, New Weija), Ga Central (Awoshie, Kolegu, Israel, A-Land), Ga North (Pokuase Footbridge, Ofankor Barrier), and Ga East (Dome Market, Abokobi Drain). In the capital’s core, heavy machinery and manual crews are converging on major drainage arteries such as Alajo, Kokomlemle, Pig Farm, Mamobi, Nima Highway, the Kanda stretch to Kawukudi, and the 37 Hospital corridor. Coastal communities like Teshie-Nungua, Prampram, Sege, and Tema West’s industrial and residential zones are also actively participating.

Despite the tepid start, authorities remain optimistic that participation will surge as the morning progresses, setting the stage for an even more robust community-driven effort on Saturday.

The exercise represents the government’s most visible response to the recent flooding emergency, mobilizing public administration and local governance structures to tackle the immediate environmental and health hazards facing affected populations.

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Top 10 Newspaper Front Page Headlines in Ghana Today: Friday, July 10, 2026

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Top 10 news stories on Ghanaian newspaper front pages dated Friday, July 10, 2026.

1. GHC350m Contingency Fund Release Controversy

  • Appears in: The New Publisher, The Ghanaian Publisher, The Custodian, The Chronicle
  • Summary: The Attorney General is under fire for allegedly instructing the Bank of Ghana to release GHC 350 million from the frozen Contingency Fund for flood relief, despite a court order blocking it. The Minority in Parliament is demanding a probe and blasting the AG’s “lawless” approach.

2. Abu Trica Extradited to US Over $8m Romance Scam

  • Appears in: Daily Guide, Ghanaian Times, The New Publisher
  • Summary: Socialite Abu Trica has been extradited to the United States to face charges related to an alleged $8 million romance fraud scheme. The extradition happened despite a lack of a court order reversing the decision on the Black Volta project (mentioned in related coverage).

3. GJA Gives NDC Chairman Seven Days to Apologise Over Obaatanpa Radio Attack

  • Appears in: Supreme, Daily Guide
  • Summary: The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has given the Central Regional Chairman of the NDC a seven-day ultimatum to apologise for an attack on Obaatanpa Radio. The incident has sparked significant backlash.

4. Gomoa East NPP Rallies Behind Francis Mensah for Chairman

  • Appears in: Supreme, The Ghanaian Publisher, The Custodian, The Metro Lens
  • Summary: The Gomoa East Constituency of the NPP is rallying to elect Francis Mensah as the next Constituency Chairman. This grassroots movement is a major story across multiple papers.

5. Azumah Resources Denies Reversal of Black Volta Project Ownership

  • Appears in: News Centa, The Chronicle, Daily Guide
  • Summary: Azumah Resources Ghana Ltd has refuted false media reports claiming that an ICC ruling reversed the acquisition of the Black Volta project. They insist they still own the project, calling the reports “a big lie.”

6. Amankwaa Donates GHC 100,000 Seed Fund to Ayawaso West NPP

  • Appears in: Supreme, News Centa
  • Summary: Samuel Owusu Amankwaa has donated GHC 100,000 as a seed fund to the Ayawaso West Wuogon NPP constituency ahead of the election of new executives.

7. North Dayi Boils Over: “Joycelyn Must Go” Protests

  • Appears in: Supreme
  • Summary: Residents of North Dayi are up in arms, with protests erupting under the banner “Joycelyn Must Go.” The protesters are chanting “Enough is Enough” over local grievances.

8. NHIA Cracks Down on Illegal Charges in Eastern Region

  • Appears in: The Metro Lens
  • Summary: The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has launched a crackdown on illegal charges being imposed on patients in the Eastern Region. The NHIA Boss is leading the effort.

9. $208m Methamphetamine Scandal

  • Appears in: The Ghanaian Publisher, The Custodian
  • Summary: An MP is demanding the prosecution of officials involved in a $208 million methamphetamine scandal. There are also calls for the government to name officials implicated, with accusations of a cover-up.

10. National Sanitation Exercise and Flood Recovery Clean-Up

  • Appears in: Supreme, The Punch, The New Publisher, News Centa
  • Summary: A nationwide clean-up exercise is underway to aid flood recovery, with various political figures and MCEs rallying residents to participate. The exercise is scheduled for the weekend, with a focus on recovery from recent floods.
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President Mahama Backs Tighter Checks on His Own Office in Upcoming Constitution Vote

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President John Dramani Mahama has announced that Ghana’s Cabinet will meet on Friday, July 10, 2026, to finalise the government’s position paper on constitutional reform.

The process is expected to recommend significant curbs on executive power, including tighter checks on the presidency itself.

The reforms stem from a year-long nationwide consultation conducted by the eight-member Constitutional Review Committee (CRC), chaired by Professor Henry Kwasi Prempeh, which submitted its final report to the President in December 2025.

The committee’s report, titled “Transforming Ghana: From Electoral Democracy to Developmental Democracy,” addressed perennial governance challenges and recommended measures to strengthen institutional checks and balances.

Speaking at the Jubilee House on Tuesday during a farewell ceremony for Switzerland’s outgoing Ambassador to Ghana, Simone Giger, President Mahama confirmed that significant progress had been made.

“I am pleased to inform you that we have made significant progress. Cabinet is scheduled to meet on Friday to finalise the Government’s Position Paper on the Constitutional Review,” President Mahama said.

He explained that once Cabinet concludes its work, the Legal Counsel and the Attorney-General would take one or two weeks to consolidate the document. It would then be handed over, together with the CRC’s report, to the Constitutional Review Implementation Committee to begin implementation.

President Mahama described the 1992 Constitution as one of the finest Ghana has ever had, noting that it had provided the foundation for the Fourth Republic — the longest-serving republic in the country’s history.

“We therefore believe that any amendments to the Constitution should strengthen it further and ensure that it remains a living document capable of serving Ghana effectively for the next three decades and beyond,” he said.

The Constitutional Review Committee’s recommendations are understood to include proposals to separate the Executive from the Legislature — preventing Members of Parliament from being appointed as ministers — as well as measures to decentralise power and enhance accountability.

The committee also recommended amendments to Chapter 25 of the Constitution to introduce a third route for amending entrenched provisions.

Ambassador Giger, who has supported the constitutional reform process throughout her four-year tenure in Ghana, welcomed the progress.

“We have always rooted for Ghana because we genuinely believe that constitutional reform is central to the country’s future development,” she said, adding, “If Ghana succeeds in adopting a truly people’s constitution, one that decentralises power, strengthens checks and balances on the Executive, and incorporates the many important reforms currently under consideration, I believe the future of this country will be exceptionally bright.”

President Mahama also used the occasion to acknowledge Switzerland’s support for Ghana’s small and medium enterprises, particularly in agro-processing and agribusiness, an area he described as one of the missing links in the country’s agricultural value chain.

The constitutional review process, initiated in 2025, follows two previous attempts that failed to build sufficient consensus for significant change.

The government has pledged to establish the Constitutional Review Implementation Committee to oversee the roll-out of the reforms.

Once the position paper is finalised and consolidated, it will be made public and subjected to the necessary constitutional and parliamentary scrutiny.

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