June 29 Floods: Government chose fiscal optics over the lives of Ghanaians - Akosua Manu

Advisor on Gender and Social Protection to the 2028 NPP flagbearer, Akosua Manu, has accused the ruling National Democratic Congress government of failing to tackle Accra’s perennial flooding problem despite the availability of dedicated funds under the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project.

Speaking to journalists on Thursday, July 2, 2026, in the aftermath of the devastating June 29 floods that affected several parts of Accra, Akosua Manu said the government placed greater emphasis on maintaining favourable fiscal figures than executing life-saving flood control projects.

Her comments follow recent reports indicating that the World Bank attributed delays in the GARID project to fiscal controls introduced by the Finance Ministry, despite funding already being available for critical drainage and flood mitigation works.

According to Akosua Manu, the findings expose what she described as a clear failure by the current administration to continue and complete interventions initiated under the previous government.

“It is not about playing the blame game, but if accountability must be established, then the facts are clear. One administration secured funding, not a loan to advance the long-standing vision of addressing Accra’s flooding challenge, while the current government has failed to utilise those resources to complete the work,” she stated.

She argued that although funds had already been secured for the project, implementation stalled because the government prioritised fiscal appearances over urgent infrastructure works needed to protect lives and property.

“The funds were available, yet the focus appears to have been more on managing fiscal optics and making the economic figures look good on paper rather than executing critical flood control projects that directly impact lives and communities,” she added.

Akosua Manu further dismissed attempts by what she called “so-called neutrals” to draw moral equivalence between the previous and current administrations on the flooding issue.

“So if blame must be assigned, it will rest squarely at their doorstep. That is why I am surprised by some so-called neutrals attempting to create a false narrative. Between the two administrations, one secured the funding and ensured that about 40 percent of the work was completed, while the other sat idle with funds reportedly still available in the account. These are not my claims; they are findings contained in the World Bank report,” she stressed.

The June 29 floods triggered widespread destruction across parts of Accra, displacing residents, damaging properties and reigniting public debate over the city’s drainage challenges and delayed flood prevention projects.

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