PRESS RELEASE
Save Ghana from the Effects of Climate Change: Engineering Gaps, Attitudes, and the Flooding Crisis
Accra, Ghana – 30 June 2026
The Educate Africa Institute (EAI) is calling on the Government of Ghana, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), engineering institutions, traditional authorities, civil society organizations, and all Ghanaians to adopt urgent and sustainable measures to address the country’s worsening flooding crisis.
According to Mr. Cobbinah Anthony, Director of Quality Assurance & Advocacy at Educate Africa Institute (EAI), climate change has intensified rainfall patterns across Ghana, but poor engineering practices, weak enforcement of planning regulations, and negative public attitudes continue to magnify the devastating impact of floods, particularly in Accra and other urban centres.
«”Climate change is the trigger, but our engineering choices and daily habits are the fuel. Unless we fix both, Ghana will continue rebuilding the same disaster every year,” Mr. Anthony stated.»
Engineering Failures Worsening Flood Risks
EAI’s quality assurance assessments have identified several major engineering and infrastructure gaps contributing to recurring floods:
– Aging and undersized drainage systems that can no longer accommodate today’s intense rainfall.
– Encroachment on waterways, wetlands and floodplains through unplanned development.
– Poor maintenance, inadequate desilting, and weak quality assurance of drainage infrastructure.
– Indiscriminate disposal of plastic waste and refuse into drains, significantly reduces their capacity to convey stormwater.
As Mr. Anthony noted,
«”A drain that is not maintained is simply a decorated trench. Our drains are not merely failing—they are being deliberately choked by human negligence.”
Negative Attitudes Fuel the Crisis
Beyond engineering failures, EAI believes public behaviour remains one of the greatest contributors to Ghana’s flooding challenge.
The Institute identified persistent indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drains, illegal construction on waterways, disregard for development permits, resistance to relocation from high-risk flood zones, and the widespread perception that flooding is solely a government responsibility as key behavioural factors requiring urgent change.
“Climate may load the gun, but human attitudes pull the trigger,” Mr. Anthony emphasized.
EAI’s Recommended National Action Plan
The Educate Africa Institute recommends a comprehensive three-phase national response.
Short-Term (0–2 Years)
– Conduct mandatory nationwide pre-rainy season desilting with independent quality assurance monitoring.
– Strictly enforce sanitation and environmental laws against indiscriminate dumping.
– Strengthen flood early warning systems using radio, television, SMS, WhatsApp and community information centres.
– Remove critical structures obstructing waterways while ensuring humane and properly coordinated resettlement.
Medium-Term (2–5 Years)
– Upgrade drainage infrastructure to withstand modern climate conditions.
– Restore wetlands, lagoons and natural flood buffers.
– Enforce building regulations without political interference.
– Introduce nationwide civic education on climate resilience, environmental responsibility and flood prevention in schools, religious institutions and communities.
Long-Term (5–20 Years)
– Promote decentralised urban development to reduce pressure on Accra.
– Make climate-smart infrastructure mandatory in all future developments, including permeable pavements, rain gardens, green roofs and retention ponds.
– Increase investment in disaster prevention through better equipment, technology, and funding for relevant state institutions.
– Establish a National Climate Adaptation Fund supported through innovative financing mechanisms, including environmental levies, carbon financing and public-private partnerships.
A National Call to Action
The Educate Africa Institute stresses that while Ghana cannot immediately stop global climate change, the country has full control over its engineering standards, environmental governance, and public attitudes.
“The floods we experience today are nature’s response to decades of poor planning, environmental abuse, and weak enforcement. Every blocked drain, every illegal structure on a waterway, and every piece of plastic thrown into a gutter contributes to the next disaster. The time for excuses has passed. The time for responsible action is now,” Mr. Anthony stated.
EAI therefore urges all stakeholders to prioritise prevention over disaster response, strengthen environmental governance, and work collectively towards building a climate-resilient Ghana.
The next heavy rainfall is inevitable. Whether it becomes another national disaster depends entirely on the decisions we make today.
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Media Contact
Mr. Cobbinah Anthony
Director, Quality Assurance & Advocacy
Educate Africa Institute (EAI)
Tel: +233 24 367 9469