Story By: Felix Ernest Odamtten & Muhammed Faisal Mustapha.
Accra’s perennial flooding crisis is no longer simply a seasonal inconvenience; it has become one of Ghana’s most pressing environmental and urban governance challenges. With every heavy rainfall, homes are submerged, livelihoods disrupted, businesses crippled and lives placed at risk. Amid growing public concern, the Nungua Otinnor Mantse and Chief Executive Officer of New Life Nungua Children’s Home International, Nii Afotey Botwe II, has issued a strong warning that the capital’s flooding disaster will continue unless the country’s rivers, lagoons and wetlands are protected from relentless destruction.
Speaking in an interview with the media, the traditional ruler argued that the recurring floods are largely the consequence of human actions rather than natural forces. He maintained that years of unchecked encroachment on waterways, poor urban planning and environmental neglect have created conditions that leave floodwaters with nowhere to flow.
According to Nii Afotey Botwe II, many of the wetlands and flood plains that once absorbed excess rainwater have steadily disappeared beneath expanding residential and commercial developments. What were once natural buffers against flooding have now become densely occupied communities vulnerable to the very disasters they helped prevent.
He observed that developers have increasingly occupied riverbanks and reclaimed wetlands without sufficient regard for environmental consequences, narrowing or completely obstructing natural drainage channels that have existed for generations.
“Most of our water bodies and riverbanks have been taken over by developers. When the rains come, the water has nowhere to go, and that is one of the major causes of flooding in Accra.”
Beyond physical encroachment, the chief expressed concern over the widespread practice of indiscriminate waste disposal. Plastic waste, household refuse and construction debris dumped into drains, rivers and lagoons continue to choke drainage systems, significantly reducing their capacity to carry stormwater during heavy rainfall.
He noted that while citizens must change their attitudes toward waste disposal, local authorities also face significant challenges. Many Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies lack adequate waste collection systems, engineered landfill sites and modern disposal facilities capable of managing the increasing volumes of urban waste.
Nii Afotey Botwe II therefore called for substantial investment in modern waste management infrastructure, including recycling plants, transfer stations and sanitary landfill facilities, while encouraging stronger collaboration with private sector operators to improve efficiency and sustainability.
The traditional ruler further emphasized that Accra’s flooding crisis cannot be blamed solely on government institutions. In his view, every stakeholder involved in land acquisition, development approval and construction bears a share of responsibility for protecting the city’s fragile environmental assets.
“The seller of the land, the buyer and the authorities responsible for supervising development must all take responsibility. Flood prevention begins with accountability,” he stressed.
He observed that traditional authorities, family heads, developers, planners and regulatory agencies must work together to ensure that building permits are issued responsibly and that protected waterways remain free from illegal occupation.
Nii Afotey Botwe II also advocated stronger urban planning policies supported by continuous professional training for engineers, planners and environmental officers. He believes infrastructure development must increasingly reflect modern climate realities and integrate nature based solutions.
The chief underscored the importance of preserving trees, wetlands and natural vegetation surrounding rivers and lagoons, explaining that healthy ecosystems reduce soil erosion, improve water infiltration and help regulate stormwater flows before they overwhelm urban drainage networks.
He further urged authorities to intensify public education campaigns that encourage environmental responsibility, insisting that sustainable behavioural change among citizens is just as important as infrastructure investment.
According to him, Ghana’s environmental future depends on moving beyond political divisions and embracing a shared national commitment to protecting natural resources. Flooding, he said, does not distinguish between political affiliations, economic status or social background.
“The environment belongs to every Ghanaian. Protecting our rivers, lagoons and wetlands is not a political agenda—it is a national responsibility that will determine the safety of future generations,” he remarked.
Environmental experts have consistently warned that rapid urbanisation, combined with weak enforcement of planning regulations and increasing climate variability, will continue to heighten flood risks unless comprehensive reforms are implemented across land administration, sanitation and environmental protection.
Nii Afotey Botwe II’s intervention therefore serves as a timely reminder that Accra’s flooding challenge extends beyond emergency response. It calls for long-term leadership, responsible land governance, environmental stewardship and collective action to restore the natural systems that once protected Ghana’s capital. Without safeguarding its water bodies today, he cautions, Accra may continue to pay an increasingly devastating price every rainy season.
