Accra’s waterways: The time for tough action is now

Every rainy season, Accra tells the same painful story. Roads become rivers, homes are submerged, businesses are disrupted and families are forced to count their losses.

The response has often followed a familiar pattern emergency relief after disaster strikes and renewed promises to address the problem.

But the flooding challenge facing the capital requires more than temporary solutions. It demands discipline, enforcement and a collective change in attitude towards the environment.

The announcement by the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (GARCC) to enforce the mandatory 50-metre buffer zone along major water bodies is therefore a welcome development.

The planned demolition of illegal structures occupying these areas may be difficult, but it is a necessary step towards protecting lives and preventing future disasters.

For The Ghanaian Times, the recent floods, which submerged homes and displaced thousands of residents, underscore the urgent need for a fundamental change in how the country manages its urban spaces.

The floods were not only a result of heavy rainfall; they were also the consequence of years of encroachment on waterways, indiscriminate dumping of waste and weak enforcement of planning regulations.

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Ms Linda Ocloo, rightly observed that drainage projects alone cannot solve the capital’s flooding problems.

While improved drainage infrastructure is important, such investments will have limited impact if water channels continue to be blocked by buildings, waste and other human activities.

The situation at the Korle Lagoon provides a clear example.

The inability to fully desilt parts of the lagoon because illegal structures occupy the required buffer areas shows how human actions have worsened the city’s environmental challenges.

However, as government begins this enforcement exercise, it must ensure fairness, transparency and consistency. Previous attempts to remove illegal structures have sometimes been criticised for being selective or politically influenced. Such concerns must not arise this time.

The law must apply equally to all, regardless of status or influence.

The protection of waterways is a national interest, not a political exercise.

At the same time, affected residents must be handled with sensitivity, particularly those who may have been victims of poor enforcement over the years.

Authorities must combine firmness with appropriate public education and support mechanisms where necessary.

The responsibility does not rest with government alone. Residents must also recognise that waterways are not development sites. They are natural systems designed to carry water and protect communities.

Metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies must strengthen monitoring to prevent new encroachments after the demolition exercise. It is unacceptable for illegal structures to return because of weak supervision or administrative neglect.

The Ghanaian Times calls on traditional authorities, community leaders, developers and residents to support efforts to reclaim Accra’s waterways. Sanitation must become a daily responsibility, not a campaign activity undertaken only after floods occur.

Accra cannot continue to spend resources responding to disasters that can largely be prevented.

The city’s future depends on the decisions we make today.

The rains will come again. What must change is our preparedness, our discipline and our commitment to protecting the environment.

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