An academic researcher at the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD), Dr. Owusu Fordjour Aidoo, has attributed the recurring flooding in Ghana’s urban centres largely to poor sanitation practices and weak enforcement of environmental laws, urging authorities to take tougher action against indiscriminate waste disposal.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Dr. Aidoo acknowledged that climate change had contributed to more intense rainfall but stressed that blocked drains, poor waste management and unauthorised developments on waterways remained the primary factors worsening flood situations across the country.
He observed that indiscriminate dumping of refuse, particularly plastic waste, into drains, streams and other water bodies had significantly reduced the capacity of drainage systems to carry stormwater during heavy rains.
According to him, rapid urbanisation and population growth have outpaced the expansion of sanitation infrastructure, leading to persistent waste accumulation in drains and waterways.
Dr. Aidoo identified used water sachets, plastic bottles, shopping bags and food containers as some of the biggest contributors to blocked drainage systems, adding that some residents deliberately dump refuse into drains during rainfall in the mistaken belief that floodwaters will carry the waste away.
He lamented that despite years of public education on sanitation, environmental indiscipline remains widespread, making it difficult to sustain gains achieved through periodic desilting exercises.
The environmental expert therefore called for the revival of regular household sanitation inspections by environmental health officers to improve compliance with sanitation by-laws.
He also expressed concern over the increasing encroachment on wetlands and natural waterways through unauthorised construction, warning that such developments obstruct the natural flow of water and increase the severity of flooding in residential communities.
Dr. Aidoo noted that the consequences of flooding extend beyond property destruction, with businesses suffering financial losses, farmers losing crops and government spending significant resources on repairing damaged roads, bridges and other public infrastructure.
He further warned that blocked drains and stagnant water create breeding grounds for mosquitoes, increasing malaria cases, while contaminated floodwaters expose residents to diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever and diarrhoeal infections.
To address the challenge, he called on Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to strengthen the enforcement of sanitation regulations, improve waste collection services and invest more in drainage infrastructure.
He also advocated stricter penalties for littering and the indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drains and water bodies.
Dr. Aidoo urged Ghanaians to take personal responsibility for keeping their surroundings clean and encouraged traditional authorities, religious organisations and civil society groups to support public education campaigns aimed at promoting responsible waste disposal.
“Government intervention alone will not solve the sanitation challenge. Every citizen has a role to play in keeping drains free from waste and protecting communities from the devastating effects of floods,” he said.
He stressed that improving sanitation and drainage management would significantly reduce the impact of flooding even as the country continues to experience increasingly intense rainfall due to climate change.
