Engineer and policy analyst Michael Kosi Dedey has called for a major shift in Ghana’s approach to flood management, insisting that drainage systems alone can no longer cope with the intensity of rainfall in Accra.
Speaking on The Big Issue on Channel One TV on Saturday, July 4, Mr Dedey said the persistent flooding challenges in the capital require a rethink of current infrastructure planning.
He explained that Accra’s largely flat terrain limits the speed at which stormwater can be drained, even where drainage channels exist, making it difficult for drains alone to resolve the problem.
Mr Dedey further argued that current planning assumptions around stormwater discharge are flawed, particularly the expectation that all runoff will flow freely into the sea without obstruction.
He warned that rising sea levels can disrupt this process, causing backflow into already flooded communities. He referenced the June 3, 2015 floods, noting that elevated sea levels at the time prevented stormwater from draining effectively into the ocean, worsening flooding in parts of Accra.
“Drains alone are not going to take care of the problem at the moment because Accra is technically a flat-lying area. So you can put in drains, but there’s a limit to how quickly the water can be channelled away,” he said.
According to him, Ghana has moved beyond the stage where expanding drainage infrastructure alone can provide a lasting solution, stressing the need for deliberate investment in water retention and storage systems.
“We have gone beyond a stage where drains alone can solve the problem. We now have to trap water deliberately. Now we need to create artificial ones,” he added.
His remarks follow heavy rainfall on Monday, June 29, which triggered widespread flooding across parts of the capital, submerging homes and businesses, disrupting traffic and rendering several major roads impassable.
