We need more money to tackle flooding in Ghana – Minister

Minister of Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye, is lobbying for the allocation of a portion of the Roads Funds for the building of storm drains.

This, he said, will help lessen the impact of the country’s periodic floods in major cities.

In a statement to Parliament on Thursday, June 29, 2023, the Minister stated that the Ghana Hydrological Authority Act, 2022 (Act 1085), which was enacted with bipartisan support, provides for the establishment of a Hydrological Fund for that purpose.

As a result, he has asked Parliament to consider committing a portion of the Road Fund, given the impact of drains on road lifespan; the Sanitation Levy, given the impact of solid waste on drainage capacity; and the Common Fund, recognising the need for a comprehensive and efficient drainage system.

“The Ghana Hydrological Authority Act, 2022 (Act 1085), which was passed with support from both sides of the House makes provision for the establishment of a Hydrological Fund for that purpose” the Minister said.

He told the lawmakers that if the resources are released, we would be able to address the age-long challenge in a comprehensive manner in the face of continuous global climate change.

He declared unequivocally that the ministry has been hampered in its effort to combat the annual canker of floods due to a shortage of finances from the finance ministry.

Hon Asenso Boakye went on to say that drainages in the capital and other regions of the country had been neglected for years due to a lack of finances, resulting in frequent flooding whenever it rains.

He urged Ghanaians to refrain from engaging in activities that may clog our drainage systems.

He made this request in a statement to Parliament today about the recent flooding in parts of the country.

Although the government has committed approximately 450 million under the National Flood Control Programme (NFCP) in the last five years to mitigate perennial flooding, the Minister added that recent climate change-induced flooding incidences around the world are a warning that a dedicated source of funding is now imperative in ensuring that the country is resilient to the effects of climate change, now and in the future.