The Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has defended the previous Akufo-Addo administration’s record on tackling flooding in Accra, arguing that the government pursued long-term structural solutions rather than short-term emergency responses.
In a post on X on Tuesday, June 30, Mr. Ahiagbah said flooding in Accra has been a decades-old challenge and should not be treated as “a one-time emergency or as a structural development challenge requiring engineering, planning, and ongoing investment.”
According to him, the Akufo-Addo administration established a Cabinet Sub-Committee in 2017 to develop a comprehensive strategy for addressing the capital’s perennial flooding and backed it with sustained funding for drainage works, desilting and emergency interventions.
He cited the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development Project (GARID), implemented with support from the World Bank, as the centrepiece of the government’s flood mitigation agenda, saying it focused on drainage infrastructure, solid waste management, community upgrading and disaster preparedness.
Mr. Ahiagbah further stated that by the time the NPP left office in January 2025, dredging of the Odaw River had begun, drainage construction was ongoing in parts of Accra, flood protection works had been completed in some communities, and a flood early warning system was being deployed.
Flooding in Accra is not new. It has challenged governments for decades, and no serious administration can pretend such a deep problem can be solved with seasonal sympathy or reactive press tours after the rains. What distinguishes governments is whether they see the crisis as a…
— Richard Ahiagbah (@RAahiagbah) June 30, 2026
He also highlighted the proposed Atomic East and Atomic West Detention Ponds project, describing it as “the most transformative” flood-control initiative that had reached its final design stage before the change of government.
Questioning the pace of implementation under the current administration, Mr. Ahiagbah wrote: “The current government did not inherit a void. It inherited momentum, secured financing, had active contractors, and a clear plan in motion. However, these inherited projects have noticeably slowed, and the question is why.”
“A government that inherits solutions and allows them to stagnate cannot blame its predecessor for failing to build on the momentum and the legacies it inherited. The NPP built momentum around addressing Accra’s flooding crisis. Ghanaians are entitled to know why the projects are now stalled,” he added.
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