Flood Crises: We’ll Be Back Here Next Year Says A-Plus
Gomoa Central MP, Hon. Kwame Asare Bediako, popularly known as A-Plus, has warned that Ghanaians will continue discussing deadly floods every year unless authorities abandon political posturing and take bold decisions on illegal settlements, town planning and urban development.
Speaking during a Facebook Live broadcast following the recent floods in parts of Greater Accra, A-Plus painted a grim picture of Ghana's recurring flood crisis, arguing that successive governments have failed to confront the real causes of the disaster.
According to him, politicians often respond to floods with visits to affected communities, expressions of sympathy and public statements, but rarely implement the difficult measures required to prevent future tragedies.
"We will meet again next year for this same conversation," he said, predicting that the annual cycle of flooding and political debate would continue unless structural reforms were undertaken.
The Gomoa Central legislator maintained that Ghana's flood problem cannot be solved through political rhetoric alone, insisting that the country's ageing drainage infrastructure can no longer cope with the demands of a rapidly growing population.
He explained that many drainage systems were constructed decades ago when Ghana's population was significantly smaller, yet they are now expected to accommodate the runoff generated by millions of additional residents and expanding urban communities.
A-Plus also criticised what he described as decades of weak town planning enforcement, arguing that buildings continue to spring up in waterways and unapproved locations because authorities fail to regulate land use effectively.
He questioned why communities are allowed to develop without proper roads, drainage systems and other essential infrastructure, describing poor zoning as one of the biggest obstacles to sustainable urban development.
While acknowledging that demolishing structures obstructing waterways could help reduce flooding, he admitted that such action has become increasingly complicated because thousands of families now live in those settlements.
He further urged leaders to level with the public instead of making promises they cannot fulfil, praising public officials who openly acknowledge the limitations government faces in responding to flood-related infrastructure damage.
A-Plus concluded that unless Ghana embraces strict planning regulations, enforces development controls and invests in long-term drainage improvements, devastating floods will remain a recurring national emergency, regardless of which political party is in power.
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