The Director-General of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Dr. Joseph Bikanyi Kuyon, has issued a stark warning about Ghana’s recurring flood crisis, placing responsibility on both citizens and lapses in institutional leadership.
His remarks follow a string of devastating floods in Accra, especially during the rainy season, which continue to cause loss of lives and destruction of property.
The persistent flooding has largely been attributed to poor waste disposal habits, unregulated construction, and inadequate drainage systems that leave communities vulnerable.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, Dr. Kuyon said Ghana’s failure to prevent flooding goes beyond technical constraints, arguing that the core issues are behavioral and leadership-related.
“If we all change the way of doing things, history will take a different course and will never recur. What is happening is that we are those who cause the flooding. Until we as a people begin to change our lifestyle, this stopping or prevention will be a herculean task.
“We can do all that we have to do, like the GARID project, but nothing will happen if we don’t make a change. People were assigned to do this project, timelines have passed, but it has not been done. You cannot do magic to prevent the flooding because people have failed to do their job,” he stated.
Dr. Kuyon further highlighted institutional inaction and weak leadership as central to the recurring problem.
“Part of the problem is leadership. Some agencies and departments are to ensure that these things are done, but they fail in that duty.
“NADMO can do everything by going round, identifying disaster sites, putting in the measures to stop that disaster from occurring but if other related authorities do not do their part, the disaster cannot be prevented,” he added.
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