Mahama orders nationwide crackdown on blocked drains after deadly Accra floods

President John Dramani Mahama has ordered an immediate nationwide crackdown on blocked drainage channels and announced emergency relief for victims of Accra's deadly floods, declaring that Ghana can no longer afford to treat the capital's recurring flood disasters as routine.

The directive follows Monday's torrential rains, which claimed at least nine lives, displaced hundreds of residents and submerged homes, businesses and major roads across the Greater Accra Region.

After an aerial inspection of the worst-hit communities, Mr Mahama said the government would convene a meeting of the National Security Council to coordinate a stronger national response to flooding, with district assemblies placed at the centre of a major clean-up operation.

He directed Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to work with the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources to identify every point where drainage channels have been obstructed so they can be cleared without delay.

"We're asking every district to identify, together with the Works and Housing Ministry, where the blockages in the channels are so that we can earmark those places for removal," the President said.

Mr Mahama stressed that authorities would not stop at demolishing illegal structures built on waterways but would also

remove debris and rubble that continue to obstruct the free flow of stormwater.

"We'll not only break the houses. We have to move the rubble out of the way because there's no use breaking a house and leaving the rubble in the waterways," he said.

The President said the latest disaster underscored the need for a more aggressive approach to environmental management and urban planning, warning that years of neglect have left Accra increasingly vulnerable to flooding.

Alongside the immediate response, he announced that emergency assistance would be provided to households and businesses affected by the floods as government continues rescue, relief and damage assessment operations.

Mr Mahama praised the Ghana Armed Forces, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ghana Police Service, the Ministry of Works and Housing, the Ghana National Fire Service and the 48 Engineers Regiment for their rescue efforts, which included evacuating stranded residents by boat.

Beyond the emergency measures, the President said the government remained committed to long-term reforms aimed at reducing pressure on the capital.

He revealed that work was progressing on a 20-year plan to develop a new growth centre outside Accra, with major government institutions expected to relocate as part of efforts to decongest the city and improve urban planning.

"We'll do the roads, bring the water and electricity so that it eases the pressure on Accra as a city," he said.

Calling for a change in public attitudes towards environmental management, Mr Mahama urged Ghanaians to support efforts to protect waterways and keep drains free of waste.

"This time should be different," he said, insisting that sustained enforcement and collective responsibility were essential if Accra was to break the cycle of devastating floods that have repeatedly claimed lives and destroyed livelihoods.