The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has attributed the severe flooding in parts of the Greater Accra Region to poor drainage infrastructure and rapid urban development, particularly along the Akuapem Range.
According to NADMO’s Director of Inspectorate, Richard Amo Yartey, the deluge was not caused by unusually heavy rainfall but by an overwhelmed and poorly maintained drainage system.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Friday, Mr. Yartey explained that although the Ghana Meteorological Agency recorded just 25 millimetres of rainfall, earlier showers and runoff from the hills intensified the impact.
“There was already some rainfall before Sunday, which had saturated the system. Additionally, the Akuapem Range experienced a downpour. Unfortunately, construction on the mountain is replacing vegetation with concrete structures. This increases surface runoff, and when that water flows downhill into areas with inadequate drainage, the result is flooding,” he said.
The three-hour downpour, which began around 3 PM on Sunday, coincided with rush hour, bringing traffic to a standstill and severely disrupting daily life in the capital.
Areas affected include Weija, Kaneshie, Adabraka, Adentan-Dodowa, parts of Tema, and other communities. Roads were rendered impassable, and numerous vehicles were left stranded in rising waters.
The floods NADMO confirmed claimed five lives and affected over 3,000 households in the Greater Accra Region alone.
In response, NADMO has urged city planners and residents to adhere to building regulations and invest in sustainable drainage systems to prevent future disasters.