48,000 displaced after Accra floods — Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama says an estimated 48,000 people have been displaced by the recent floods that swept through parts of the Greater Accra Region following the heavy downpour on June 29.

The President disclosed this on Friday, July 3, during a state visit by the President of Sierra Leone and Chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Julius Maada Bio, who visited Ghana to express solidarity with the country following the disaster.

Addressing the media after bilateral engagements, President Mahama said the floods had left thousands homeless, with fatalities also recorded.

“This downpour was huge, and we estimate that about 48,000 people were rendered homeless by the downpour, and 12 are confirmed dead; seven are still unaccounted for. We have asked the military and the joint task force to immediately mobilise and bring things back as quickly as possible,” he said.

The President said personnel from the Ghana Armed Forces had already begun clearing waterways, removing garbage and debris deposited across the city by the floods to restore normalcy.

“The Army has started to clear waterways, clear garbage and clear debris that was thrown all over the city by rainfall. And we expect that in a week or two things will normalise,” he added.

President Mahama also announced that the Minister for Finance, Dr. Ato Forson, had released funds from the government’s contingency fund to support flood mitigation and relief efforts.

According to him, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), together with other agencies, will soon begin distributing relief items, including towels, blankets and mattresses, to affected residents to ease their hardship.

The President expressed appreciation to President Bio and the people of Sierra Leone for their message of solidarity and support during the difficult period.

“We appreciate his message of sympathy,” President Mahama said.

Heavy rains on June 29 triggered widespread flooding across parts of the Greater Accra Region, resulting in the loss of lives, displacement of thousands of residents and extensive damage to homes, businesses and public infrastructure. Government agencies, the military and emergency response teams continue rescue, recovery and relief operations in affected communities.