Dear Atta Akyea, don’t miss this opportunity to solve Accra floods [Article]

Dear Hon-Samuel Atta-Akyea,

Kindly accept my warmest regards.

I just read that Government of Ghana (GoG) through your Ministry (Works & Housing) want to set up a National Hydrology Authority to draw up a flood management programme (to produce accurate hydrological data and early flood warning information) to deal with Accra’s perennial flooding.

I will not overlook the importance of accurate data in flood risk mitigation, and the fact that you want to also address infrastructural maintenance of the 14 hydrological gauge stations, and the telemetry facilities within the White Volta and Oti Basins. However, these are all management issues and can be addressed without a new body or institution.

Now back to the substantive issue of flood disasters in Accra. This area is probably the most researched and I have extensively reviewed different information and perspectives of the diagnosis. I’m sure you know them already. My letter this morning is not to educate you or tell you how to do your work, but to emphasise the heartbeat of many others; that we don’t need any new institution or information on flood hazards, what we require is the leadership to make current institutions take action to solve the problem:

1. Greater Accra Region is rapidly expanding and urbanising with current population of 4.3 million and an urban population share, which has increased from 72.6% to 90.5% between a 40-year period of 1970 and 2010. Current % of urbanisation could be higher. This context is important because this expansion has not been followed with PROPER URBAN PLANNING which is the root of the problem;

2. The frequency and severity of floods in Accra has increased within the past two decades. What is easily noticeable from the trend is that most of the devastating flood events have occurred during the rainy season. This is no news and we need no fresh data to know. In fact, though the climate is changing, traditional knowledge has adjusted to the trend, and early warning signs always confirm our thoughts and fears;

3. We already know the multiple differential drivers of hazards of floods. The city is a low-lying area that naturally makes it flood prone. Then the increase in impervious surfaces as a result of its rapid growth. This overwhelms the “inadequate, undersized, unconnected or improperly channeled drains” for the large amount of water that flows especially during the rainy season. With an increase in the intensity of rainfall patterns and the lack of proper surface water resource management, what do we expect?

4. In addition to this, unchecked urban development has allowed people to build on waterways, settle along and over drainage channels and basins. This is compounded by poor municipal waste management practices that cause the blockage of sewers, gutters and drains with solid waste. The Odaw-Korle drainage basin is a case in point.

Sir, as I said earlier on, there is nothing new in all that I’ve said. We can diagnose and that is the first step to implement solutions. Now what we need is the political will to press on the institutions in charge to act. There is no point listing the institutions and what they should do. That will be an insult to your intelligence. My plea this morning is that you are in a good position to make things happen, so please don’t make it another missed opportunity to talk about this year after year. We are becoming tired of talk with less action.

Do have a great day.

Best,

Gideon (Environmental activist)