Former Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, has described the recurring flooding in Accra as a national security issue, urging authorities to sustain enforcement measures aimed at protecting waterways and improving drainage to prevent future disasters.
His remarks follow a recent Facebook post in which he linked the latest flooding in parts of the capital to what he said was the reversal of enforcement measures that had relocated traders from the Agbogbloshie enclave during his tenure.
Speaking on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News, Mr. Quartey insisted that his comments were not politically motivated but were intended to draw attention to the urgency of tackling Accra’s persistent flooding problem.
“I wrote that because it didn’t carry any political colour, not at all. I just wanted to communicate to the people that the issues about flooding in Accra must be taken seriously. It’s now a national security concern, whether we like it or not,” he said.
According to the former minister, flooding in the capital is the result of multiple factors, including poor engineering, environmental degradation and human activities, all of which require sustained and coordinated interventions rather than short-term responses.
Mr. Quartey credited the reduction in flooding witnessed during his tenure to strict enforcement measures that removed traders from waterways and other vulnerable areas.
He cited the relocation of onion traders from Agbogbloshie to Adjen Kotoku and Dominase as a key intervention, explaining that the exercise was carried out by the Regional Security Council with support from the national security apparatus.
He said those measures contributed to improved drainage and reduced flooding in communities such as Airport Residential Area, Dzorwulu, Alajo and sections of the Odaw River basin.
However, Mr. Quartey argued that some of those gains have been eroded following the relaxation of enforcement after the change in government, which he said allowed some traders to return to flood-prone locations.
He stressed that the situation highlights the need for consistent enforcement of planning, sanitation and environmental regulations, irrespective of which political party is in power.
The former Greater Accra Regional Minister further maintained that initiatives such as “Let’s Make Accra Work” and “Operation Clean Your Frontage” were designed as long-term interventions to improve sanitation, protect drainage channels and reduce the risk of flooding.
He said maintaining such programmes is critical if Ghana is to achieve a lasting solution to the perennial flooding that continues to affect lives and property in the capital.