Former Member of Parliament for Manhyia North, Collins Owusu Amankwah, has dismissed suggestions that the recurring June 3 flooding incidents should be viewed from a spiritual perspective, insisting that the real challenge lies in flood management, poor planning, and weak enforcement of regulations.
His comments come in response to remarks by Presidential Staffer Nana Yaa Jantuah, who called for an examination of what she described as a recurring pattern of flooding associated with June 3.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show, Mr. Owusu Amankwah questioned the basis for linking the floods to a spiritual phenomenon.
“Why didn’t it flood like this on June 3 last year?” he asked.
According to him, every problem has a solution, and the focus should be on addressing structural and governance failures that contribute to flooding rather than politicising the issue.
“There is always an antidote to every problem. The question is flood management,” he stated.
The former MP argued that Ghana’s flooding challenges are largely driven by human actions, including illegal construction on waterways and poor enforcement of planning regulations.
“Our problem is not just an attitudinal problem. Our mindset is so corrupt. We know the things to do, but we won’t do them,” he said.
Mr. Owusu Amankwah accused some local authorities of contributing to the problem by approving developments in areas that should be protected from construction.
“People know they are not supposed to build in waterways. The assemblies are even corrupt; they are giving people rights to build,” he alleged.
He also cautioned against turning the flood disaster into a partisan issue.
“We should stop the politics of equalisation. The problem doesn’t need to be politicised,” he stressed.
The former MP noted that increasing population pressure on Accra continues to worsen the city’s infrastructure challenges, suggesting that government may need to consider long-term solutions, including decentralisation.
“Any thoughtful government will know that Accra is choked. We should even be thinking about moving the capital to another region,” he said.
Mr. Owusu Amankwah further expressed concern about the quality of infrastructure and urban development in parts of the country.
“Even the nature of structural integrity is bad. Everything has been compromised,” he added.
He urged authorities to sustain discussions on flood prevention beyond the rainy season and focus on implementing lasting solutions to protect lives and property.
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