File photo of the aftermath of June 3, 2015, twin disaster
A devastating combination of floodwaters and fire tore through Accra, on the evening of June 3, 2015, claiming more than 150 lives.
The disaster, triggered by torrential rain and an explosion at the GOIL Filling Station near Kwame Nkrumah Circle, remains one of Ghana’s deadliest tragedies.
Houses and properties running into billions of Ghana cedis were also destroyed.
Following the disaster, the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) initiated steps to check all fuel stations in the country to know whether owners of the stations were operating legally.
EPA subsequently decided to halt the issuance of new permits for fuel stations in order to rid the system of all irregularities according to a report by graphic online.com on June 9, 2015.
The then Executive Director of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Daniel S. Amlalo, said the EPA was working with the authorities involved to ensure that fuel stations would not be sited close to any fire activities.
“We will enforce strict and strong standards regarding the location of fuel stations,” Mr Amlalo said.
Ten years on, the question begging for an answer remains-has anything really changed?
GhanaWeb highlights four (4) critical areas that required the government’s action to prevent future re-occurrence of the tragedy
These focus areas include; the dredging of major storm drains, demolition of structures sitting on waterways, close monitoring of the establishment of filling stations by authorities, littering and sanitation and public updates of the weather by the Ghana Meteorological Agency.
Below is an exploration of the government’s efforts on theses focus areas so far.
Dredging of the Odaw storm drain
According to a report by myjoyonline.com on April 2,2025, President John Mahama directed contractors working on the desilting of the Odaw drain to expedite work ahead of the rainy season to mitigate flooding in Accra.
During a tour of flood-prone areas in the Greater Accra Region, the President also took decisive action against illegal encroachment on water retention areas.
He ordered Caitec Motors, a private company that has illegally filled a Ramsar site and a water retention basin at Mallam Junction, to restore the area by removing the silt.
He also instructed the Greater Accra Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to ensure strict compliance with his directive.
Demolition of unauthorised structures on water ways
Another report by citinewsroom.com indicates that the Greater Accra Regional Security Council (REGSEC) would begin demolishing unauthorised structures along waterways in Tema, Klagon, and the Sakumo Ramsar site.
The exercise which is currently ongoing commenced on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.
The demolitions form part of a broader effort to restore natural watercourses, curb flooding, and enforce environmental regulations in the region.
At a meeting with Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Ocloo, warned that individuals behind the illegal developments would be arrested.
She added that a dedicated task force would be stationed in the affected areas after the demolition to prevent further encroachment.
“We will continue with the demolition exercise at Sakumono and Tema. In some places where the demolition was done, they have raised the structure again. So, we are going to cause an arrest. We are not going to leave a single structure; all of them will go down,” the Minister stated.
Authorisation for the siting of filling stations
The Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) initiated steps to check all fuel stations in the country to trace their ownership and ascertain they are properly licensed to operate.
As a remedial action, the EPA at the time decided to stop the issuance of new permits for fuel stations to check irregularities in the fuel operation space.
The then Executive Director of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Daniel S. Amlalo, said the EPA indicated that he was working closely with the relevant authorities to ensure that fuel stations would not be sited close to spots that feature activities requiring the use of fire a report by graphiconline.com on June 9, 2015 stated.
Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) updates
In a media blast, by the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) on June 1, 2025, it announced ongoing efforts to keep the public informed on the weather updates.
GMet indicated that the timely updates would help the public plan their activities in the day, to stay safe during times when there is indication of approaching thunderstorms.
“The Government of Ghana, through the Ghana Meteorological Agency — one of our biggest stakeholders — has utilized our weather alert system to provide timely advisories to citizens.
“This marks a significant milestone and demonstrates the impact and value of our work. We're seeing major gains in both public safety and institutional collaboration,” the statement said.
Sanitation in the city
Sanitation issues have ranked high on human activities that lead to floods in the capital city and other parts of the country.
National Sanitation Day initiative was introduced by the NDC government in 2012. It was abandoned along the way by the previous government.
In a recent report by graphiconline.com on March 29, 2025, the Deputy Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, has stated that the National Sanitation Day will be relaunched on April 2, 2025.
She indicated that the first nationwide clean-up exercise was scheduled for April 5, 2025, and would subsequently be observed on the first Saturday of every month.
VPO
After recent heavy rains, a lot of debris has been left across many parts of Accra. Watch some of the destructions below:
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