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Francis Asenso-Boakye, Minister of Works and Housing
The Minister of Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye, reiterated the government’s commitment to tackle the floods which have been a burden on the country over the years.
He told parliament, while addressing the growing risk of flooding across the country, that the government led by Nana Addo was keen to stem the situation.
According to him, around 450 million GH ₵ have already been invested in the national flood control and priority drainage program to deal with the situation.
“Clearly, this level of commitment to tackling the problem that has resulted in a reduction in flooding incidents in recent years is unprecedented and commendable. ” He said
Adding that “the government is also working with the World Bank to invest more than $ 200 million to address the challenges related to solid waste and flood risk in the Odaw drainage basin. The project will also see the development and implementation of a flood early warning system to improve community safety and resilience.
Read her full statement below.
STATEMENT BY FRANCIS ASENSO-BOAKYE (MP) MINISTER OF WORKS AND HOUSING ON “THE FIGHT AGAINST THE GROWING RISK OF FLOODS IN THE COUNTRY”.
Mr. Speaker, the perpetual flooding across the country poses a significant threat to the government’s accelerated socio-economic development agenda. Lives have been lost, property destroyed, people displaced, transport links cut, economic activities disrupted and livelihoods uprooted by the floods. Floods also negatively impact the mental health of victims and compromise their ability to contribute significantly to economic growth.
Ghana ranks among the African countries most exposed to the risk of multiple meteorological hazards. Over the past three (3) decades, the country has experienced seven major floods. The devastating flooding in the Odaw watershed on June 3, 2015 caused the unfortunate loss of approximately 150 lives – may their souls rest in perfect peace – and approximately 50,000 people were directly affected to varying degrees.
Mr President, the World Bank estimates that $ 3.2 billion (4.45% of GDP) of economic assets are at risk of being flooded in the Greater Accra region alone and this figure is expected to quadruple by 2050 without action urgent (World Bank press release, May 29, 2019). One can only imagine the value of the assets that are at risk of flooding across the country.
The causes of the floods in the country are multiple. They include inefficient drains, undersized culverts and uncontrolled development in floodplains, wetlands and streams. In addition, the indiscriminate dumping of solid waste into our sewers by households contributes significantly to urban flooding. Across the country, we are seeing new developments and buildings popping up in waterways and floodplains (buffer zones) blocking the flow of stormwater and increasing the risk of flooding.
Mr. President, on June 24 and 25, 2021, several areas of Kumasi suffered severe and devastating flooding. This affected shopping areas such as the New Kejetia Market, Central Market, Asafo Market, and Bantama High Street. Several shops and homes were flooded and goods worth several million Ghanaian cedis were destroyed. Similar reports have been received from Koforidua and Takoradi and even other parts of the country. As a result of my visit to the affected areas in Kumasi on Monday June 28, 2021, the growing risk of flooding associated with climate change is clear and we as a nation must take bold action to address this challenge holistically. .
Mr. President, since taking office in January 2017, the government of President Akufo-Addo has invested around GH450 million ₵ in the National Flood Control and Priority Drainage Program, against GHG 88 million ₵ invested by the previous government between 2011 and 2016. Clearly, this level of commitment to tackling the problem that has led to a reduction in flooding incidents in recent years is unprecedented and commendable.
The government is also working with the World Bank to invest more than $ 200 million to address the challenges of solid waste and flood risk in the Odaw drainage basin. The project will also see the development and implementation of a flood early warning system to improve community safety and resilience.
Mr. Speaker, as the government does everything to minimize the risk of flooding, it is important to stress that government alone cannot do it; it must be a shared responsibility. It is therefore incumbent on every citizen to complement the government’s effort, to take their own safety seriously and to pay more attention to how solid waste is disposed of.
Additionally, single-family home builders should avoid paving all of their compounds and make room for stormwater infiltration by introducing vegetation. I further wish to call on the MMDAs to strictly enforce planning laws and building codes to prevent the development of waterways, flood plains and wetlands. When these are violated, the MMDAs must take decisive action to rectify the situation urgently in the interest of protecting the good people of Ghana.
Mr. President, the Cabinet, during its session on Thursday, June 24, 2021, approved, for consideration by Parliament, the bill establishing the Hydrological Authority of Ghana. The Authority will undertake hydraulic modeling to inform housing and infrastructure development planning across the country to ensure they are away from flood prone areas. The Authority will also develop and promote higher drainage standards, including the use of nature-based drainage solutions.
In addition, the Authority will ensure that flood risk assessments are undertaken for all major infrastructure developments, so that they are resilient to current and future flood risks. The Hydrological Authority Bill will include a National Hydrology Fund that will facilitate the efficient functioning of the Authority, including by attracting private sector participation in the provision of drainage.
I sincerely hope, Mr. President, that in view of the enormous benefits of the establishment of the Ghana Hydrological Authority, Parliament will give its full support when the bill is submitted to this Assembly in August for approval.
Mr. Chairman, on that note, I would like to thank you for this opportunity.
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