Interior Minister apologises after Accra floods kill nine, admits government 'could have done more'

Interior Minister Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak has apologised to Ghanaians after the deadly floods that swept through Accra claimed at least nine lives, acknowledging that government could have done more to prepare for the disaster.

In an interview on JoyNews' PM Express, the minister described the destruction caused by Monday's torrential rains as heartbreaking, saying the government accepted the pain and frustration felt by affected families.

"Yes, we are really very sorry for the loss of life. We are sorry that this thing has really devastated Accra," he said.

The apology comes amid growing public scrutiny of the government's preparedness after floodwaters submerged homes, businesses and major roads across the capital, leaving thousands stranded and causing extensive damage to property.

While conceding that more could have been done, Mr Muntaka argued that officials were confronted with a rapidly developing emergency after receiving a specific weather alert only hours before the downpour.

According to him, although authorities had been warned that June and July would experience heavy rainfall, the detailed forecast for Monday's storm was issued late on Sunday night.

"If you ask the Meteo person, he did not say that it's going to rain today. Ask him, when did they give us the actual alert that this will happen? Yesterday at 11pm when the majority of Ghanaians were asleep," he said.

The minister said one of his first actions was to contact the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, to coordinate emergency text message alerts through the country's mobile network operators.

"I called him and said, 'Can you get the telcos to send messages to people?' He was very swift. I believe that is what we need to be doing," Mr Muntaka said.

He revealed that the Presidency had already begun discussions aimed at strengthening coordination among ministries before future emergencies.

Mr Muntaka said he had spoken with the Secretary to the President and agreed that ministers would meet regularly to improve disaster preparedness and emergency response.

Despite acknowledging shortcomings, the Interior Minister defended the government's handling of the crisis, saying Ghana's financial constraints limit its ability to respond to disasters on the scale seen in wealthier countries.

"This country is not a rich country where we have shelters so we can collect people and put them there. This country is not that rich. Let's not be running away from actual responsibility and facing the reality," he said.

He also rejected criticism that government officials had been complacent, insisting ministers had remained actively engaged throughout the night as the situation unfolded.

"So yes, I agree we could do more, but let's not make it look like all politicians are people who are not thinking about the country. They are just thinking about themselves."

Mr Muntaka said he stayed awake throughout the night monitoring the emergency and remained in constant contact with President John Mahama, who later toured some of the worst-hit communities.

"I didn't sleep, and I know the time that I had to speak to the President early in the morning. I woke him up, and he's been asking questions almost throughout, before going around to inspect the affected areas," he said.

The minister maintained that the sheer intensity of Monday's rainfall meant flooding was almost inevitable in many parts of Accra.

"The only way this rain could have been avoided from going into people's homes was to turn the whole of Accra into one giant drain, because you can see it from the aerial view," he said.

The floods have renewed calls for major investment in drainage infrastructure, stricter enforcement against construction on waterways and stronger early warning systems, as the government faces mounting pressure to prevent similar disasters in the future.