The writer
Few countries in the world have had to confront water as relentlessly as the Netherlands. Yet, despite living under conditions that would seem almost impossible, it has become one of the safest and most prosperous countries in the world.
There is an important lesson there for Ghana.
The Netherlands is a remarkably low-lying country. Nearly one-third of its land lies below sea level, while more than half of the country is vulnerable to flooding from the sea, rivers or heavy rainfall. In many places, water sits above the level of the surrounding land. By comparison, Ghana’s geography is considerably more favourable. Although we face coastal erosion, seasonal flooding, overflowing rivers and intense rainfall, the vast majority of our country lies well above sea level.
Yet, Ghana experiences destructive flooding far more frequently than the Netherlands.
The difference is not geography. It is preparation.
For centuries, the Dutch accepted a simple reality: water cannot be defeated, but it can be managed. Instead of treating flooding as an occasional disaster, they made water management a permanent national priority. Every generation invested in stronger flood defences, better planning, improved engineering and continuous maintenance.
They built dikes to keep out the sea, dams and storm surge barriers to protect vulnerable communities, canals to direct excess water, pumping stations to remove water from low-lying areas and retention basins to temporarily store floodwater during heavy rains. More importantly, they embedded flood resilience into every aspect of national planning.
Their roads are designed with drainage in mind. Their housing developments consider flood risk before construction begins.
Critical infrastructure such as electricity installations, hospitals and transport systems are protected against flooding.
Building regulations are enforced.
Natural floodplains are preserved where possible.
Water management is not left to emergency response teams after disaster strikes; it forms part of the country’s long-term development strategy.
That is perhaps Ghana’s greatest lesson.
Flood resilience is not simply about constructing larger drains after each rainy season. It is about changing how we plan our communities from the outset.
We should no longer permit construction that blocks natural waterways. Drainage systems must be designed, expanded and maintained to reflect modern rainfall patterns rather than conditions that existed decades ago. Flood risk assessments should become a routine part of infrastructure development, whether we are constructing roads, schools, hospitals, markets or electricity substations.
Local assemblies must be empowered and resourced to enforce planning laws consistently. Encroachment on wetlands and waterways cannot continue without consequence. At the same time, citizens must recognise that indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drains is not merely an environmental offence; it is an action that places entire communities at risk.
For communities like Keta, these lessons are especially relevant.
Living between the Atlantic Ocean and the Keta Lagoon means water will always be part of our identity. Our objective should not be to eliminate water from our landscape, but to learn how to coexist with it safely and productively. Around the world, many coastal communities have demonstrated that proximity to water can become an economic advantage when matched with thoughtful planning, resilient infrastructure and responsible environmental management.
Climate change makes this conversation even more urgent.
Extreme rainfall events are becoming more frequent. Sea levels continue to rise. Weather patterns are becoming increasingly unpredictable. These are no longer future concerns; they are today’s realities.
If we continue to build for yesterday’s climate, we will continue paying tomorrow’s price.
The Netherlands teaches us that resilience is not created by wealth alone. It is created by vision, discipline, planning and consistency over many decades. Their success did not happen overnight. It resulted from generations of leaders who recognised that preparing for disasters is always less costly than recovering from them.
Ghana possesses the talent, the engineers, the planners and the institutions capable of achieving similar progress. What is required is the collective determination to make flood resilience a national priority rather than a seasonal conversation.
The rains will continue to come.
The question is whether we will continue reacting to floods, or finally begin designing our communities to live successfully with water.
That choice is ours.
Source: Lom Nuku Ahlijah
