The devastating flooding of Monday, June 29, 2026 is another painful reminder that Ghana’s flooding crisis is no longer confined to low-income communities.
This time, some of Accra’s most prestigious neighbourhoods, East Legon, Dzorwulu, Airport Residential Area, and Tse Addo, were submerged, with homes, businesses, and roads disappearing beneath floodwaters.
The disaster once again exposed a truth many prospective homeowners and investors have ignored for years: an expensive location does not necessarily guarantee a safe investment.
For decades, property buyers have assumed that purchasing land in a prime location automatically guarantees long-term value.
However, climate change, rapid urbanisation, weak planning enforcement, and unregulated development are changing the rules of real estate.
Today, one of the most important questions a buyer should ask is not “Is this a prime location?” but “Will this property still be habitable and valuable after the next major rainfall?”
The June 29 floods should become a turning point in how Ghana plans, develops, and purchases real estate.
Flooding Has Become a Real Estate Issue
Flooding is no longer simply an environmental or disaster management problem. It has become one of the greatest risks facing Ghana’s property market.
Every flood destroys value: homes suffer structural damage, foundations weaken, electrical systems fail, furniture, vehicles, and equipment are lost, and insurance costs rise.
Rental income disappears while repairs are undertaken. Buyers become reluctant to purchase properties in affected communities, reducing both demand and resale values.
For developers, repeated flooding can damage years of investment and destroy confidence in an entire neighbourhood.
In countries with mature property markets, flood risk is now considered alongside schools, accessibility, crime, and infrastructure when valuing real estate. Ghana must begin doing the same.
Prime Addresses Are No Longer Immune
Many Ghanaians were shocked that areas traditionally regarded as premium residential locations were among those badly affected.
East Legon, Airport Residential Area, Dzorwulu, and Tse Addo have attracted billions of cedis in private investment over the past two decades. Luxury homes, apartment complexes, hotels, and commercial developments dominate these communities.
Yet on June 29, many roads became rivers and expensive homes were inundated by floodwater.
The lesson is clear. Property prices alone do not determine whether land is suitable for development. Good planning does.
The Planning Failure Behind the Floods
One uncomfortable truth that Ghana must confront is that many communities are effectively planned before government ever arrives. Across much of the country, traditional authorities allocate, demarcate, and sell land.
Chiefs and family heads often oversee the initial subdivision of land into plots, creating layouts that later become permanent communities.
This points to the important role traditional authorities play in land administration and community leadership. However, urban planning requires specialised technical expertise which they might not have.
It involves hydrology, transportation engineering, drainage design, environmental management, and long-term infrastructure planning. Unfortunately, in many cases these technical considerations receive little attention before plots are sold.
By the time Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies become involved, hundreds of houses have already been constructed.
Roads are too narrow, storm drains are inadequate, natural waterways have disappeared, wetlands have been filled, and flood plains have become residential estates. Correcting these mistakes afterwards becomes extremely expensive, if not impossible.
Weak Enforcement Is Making the Situation Worse
Planning failures alone do not explain Ghana’s flooding crisis. Equally concerning is the apparent inability or unwillingness of planning authorities to enforce existing laws.
Across Accra, buildings continue to appear on waterways, wetlands, and drainage reservations. Developments that should never have received approval are completed without interruption.
In many communities, residents witness construction taking place directly within flood channels while authorities take little or no action.
The Assemblies often appear to watch developments unfold until entire neighbourhoods have been completed, after which enforcement becomes politically difficult and socially disruptive. Planning regulations mean little if violations carry no consequences.
What Every Property Buyer Should Look Out For
The June 29 floods should fundamentally change how buyers assess property. Instead of focusing solely on location, price, and aesthetics, buyers should investigate flood risk with the same seriousness as they investigate land ownership.
Before purchasing any property, buyers should consider:
· Whether the area has experienced flooding in previous rainy seasons.
· Whether neighbouring residents report recurring flood incidents.
· The natural topography of the land. Low-lying areas are generally more vulnerable.
· The quality and capacity of existing drainage systems.
· Whether nearby streams or waterways have been built over.
· Whether the property lies within a natural drainage path.
· Whether roads remain accessible after heavy rainfall.
· Whether there are visible signs of previous flooding, including water stains, repaired walls, or raised electrical installations.
· Whether proper planning approval and drainage designs were obtained before construction.
Developers should also conduct professional site investigations, including topographical surveys and drainage assessments, before committing significant investment.
Ignoring these precautions can result in losses that far exceed any savings made during the purchase.
Developers Also Have a Responsibility
The real estate industry cannot place all blame on government. Developers must resist the temptation to maximise the number of plots at the expense of proper infrastructure.
Every development should incorporate adequate drainage, preserve natural watercourses, and allocate sufficient open space to absorb stormwater. Road networks should be designed not only for vehicles but also for effective drainage.
Building responsibly may reduce short-term profits, but it significantly increases long-term property value and protects lives. Responsible developers should see flood resilience as a selling point rather than an additional cost.
A New Way Forward
Ghana needs fundamental reforms if future disasters are to be avoided.
First, comprehensive planning should precede land sales, not follow them. Communities should only be demarcated after professional planning has been completed and approved.
Second, planning authorities must regain control over urban development through stronger enforcement of existing regulations.
Third, every major housing development should include independent flood-risk and drainage assessments before approval.
Fourth, modern flood-risk mapping should be made publicly available so buyers can make informed decisions before investing.
Finally, illegal developments obstructing waterways should be addressed consistently and fairly, regardless of the status or influence of those involved.
The Cost of Doing Nothing
Floods should not be viewed as unavoidable natural disasters.
Rainfall is natural. Disasters occur when poor planning meets heavy rain.
The June 29 floods did not simply expose weaknesses in our drainage systems; they exposed weaknesses in our planning system, our enforcement institutions, and our approach to urban development.
If Ghana continues to allow unplanned development, ignores encroachment on waterways, and delays difficult planning decisions, today’s flood-prone neighbourhoods will only expand tomorrow.
The true measure of a prime property is no longer its location or market price. It is its resilience.
For property buyers, developers, and policymakers alike, flood risk must now become one of the most important considerations in every real estate decision. Because in today’s Ghana, the most expensive house can quickly become the costliest mistake.
About the author:
Curtis Tetteh Djaba (Nene Tetteh Nanor Odjidji II) is the CEO of Dromi Homes Co. Ltd, a real estate development firm specializing in private and commercial properties, Airbnb hosting, and business development.
He also serves as the Chief of New Somanya Traditional Area in the Eastern Region of Ghana.
