The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has criticised the government over its handling of the June 29 floods, accusing it of failing to implement effective flood control measures and calling for immediate reforms to Ghana’s flood management system.
In a press release issued on Monday, June 29, the party expressed sympathy with thousands of flood victims but argued that the recurring flooding in parts of Accra reflects poor governance and inadequate coordination.
The NPP alleged that the division of flood management responsibilities between the Ministry of Local Government and the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources has created confusion and delayed effective action.
The party also questioned the government’s decision to assign a Deputy Chief of Staff to coordinate flood response efforts, claiming the role lacks the authority required to lead a national disaster response.
It further alleged that funding for anti-flood interventions has been delayed, resulting in the poor implementation of mitigation measures.
Rejecting recent comments by President John Dramani Mahama that flooding is partly caused by poor environmental practices by citizens, the NPP stated that “shared responsibility is not an excuse to avoid accountability,” insisting that government must take primary responsibility for protecting lives and property.
The NPP called on President Mahama to consolidate flood management under a single accountable ministry, appoint an empowered minister to lead flood response efforts, publicly account for anti-flood expenditures, and stop shifting blame to citizens.
It maintained that “the government is fiddling with public relations gimmicks while people suffer,” and pledged to continue holding the administration accountable over the country’s flood management efforts.
