Minority demands Anti-Flood Taskforce report as Accra floods submerge communities again
The Minority Caucus in Parliament has renewed calls for the government to lay the report of its Anti-Flood Taskforce before the House for scrutiny, as heavy rains once again left several communities in Accra submerged and residents counting their losses.
The demand formed part of a heated debate in Parliament triggered by fresh flooding in parts of the capital. The situation has revived public frustration over Accra’s perennial flood challenges and questions about the effectiveness of measures put in place to address them.
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin led the charge, arguing that although the Anti-Flood Taskforce was established a year ago and widely publicised, Ghanaians have seen little tangible improvement. He described the lack of updates on the taskforce’s work as “conspicuously silent” and insisted that laying its findings and recommendations before Parliament was not a procedural formality, but a matter of public accountability.
“The formation of the task force was widely publicised. Its results, however, have been conspicuously silent. This is why Hon. Shaib’s demand that the taskforce’s findings and recommendations be brought before the House is not a procedural technicality,” Afenyo-Markin stated.
The debate was triggered by a statement from the Second Deputy Minority Chief Whip and MP for Weija-Gbawe, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, who urged Parliament to summon Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives from flood-prone areas to account for their flood prevention strategies. He argued that local authorities must be made to explain what steps they have taken ahead of the rainy season.
Member of Parliament for Klottey Korle, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, added her voice by raising concerns about the heavily silted Odaw River, which runs through her constituency and is a major contributor to flooding in central Accra. She stressed that dredging and proper maintenance of drainage channels must be prioritised if floods are to be reduced.
In response, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga urged caution, saying Accra’s flood problem is complex and cannot be solved within the one year the task force has existed. He noted that effective solutions will require extensive studies, significant fundraising, and long-term investment in infrastructure.
“I’m not sure that this is a problem that can be solved within the one year that the task force has been in existence. A lot of studies are required, a lot of fundraising is required, and I believe they will achieve some success. We need to give them time,” Ayariga said.
Former Works and Housing Minister and MP for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, attributed the persistent flooding largely to inadequate and delayed release of funds for major drainage and flood control projects. He said budgetary allocations often fail to translate into actual spending on the ground, leaving critical works incomplete.
As the rains continue, residents in low-lying areas of Accra remain vulnerable, with many calling on government and local authorities to move beyond committees and deliver practical flood mitigation solutions.
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