The Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project has revealed that approximately 16% of legally protected drainage buffer zones across selected assemblies in the Greater Accra Region have been encroached upon, raising concerns over the increasing flood risk in the capital.
Presenting the findings on Friday, July 3, GARID Project Coordinator and member of the Post-Flood Mitigation Committee, Kojo Ohene Safo, said the assessment examined developments along major waterways in 16 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies.
He explained that the study focused on the mandatory 25-metre buffer zone on either side of drains and compared data collected between 2022 and 2026.
According to him, the analysis found a steady increase in structures built within protected drainage corridors, despite planning regulations prohibiting such developments.
Mr Ohene Safo noted that although Ablekuma Central recorded no new encroachments during the period under review, this was an exception.
He said several other assemblies experienced significant increases in illegal developments within drainage buffers.
In Ayawaso Central, the number of structures within the protected zone increased from 793 in 2022 to 801 in 2026, while Ayawaso East recorded an increase from 337 to 494 structures.
Ga Central also saw an additional 54 structures constructed between 2023 and 2025, bringing the total number of encroaching structures in the assessed area to 2,329.
Other assemblies also recorded sharp increases. Krowor rose from 178 to 295 structures, Okai Koi North from 596 to 729, Ablekuma West from 904 to 1,293, while Ga North recorded one of the largest increases, rising from 1,049 to 2,261 structures.
Ga South also saw encroachments increase from 746 to 871 structures, while La Dade-Kotopon rose from 544 to 638 and Adentan from 171 to 214.
Overall, the assessment identified 10,497 structures located within drainage buffer zones across the sampled assemblies.
Mr Ohene Safo warned that the growing encroachment is obstructing the natural flow of stormwater and significantly increasing the risk of flooding.
“When we have the volume of rain that we do, the water doesn’t have a natural path. That will inevitably impact people; it will affect them,” he said.
READ ALSO:
Floods: Two bodies recovered at Adakope near Weija
Government assures flood victims in six regions of imminent relief support
