The government has announced plans to demolish buildings erected on six wetlands in Accra as part of a broader strategy to curb perennial flooding and restore the city’s natural water drainage systems.
The Deputy Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, Gizella Tetteh-Agbotui, disclosed this in Parliament on June 30, stressing that the encroached wetlands must be reclaimed to allow excess rainwater to flow and settle naturally during heavy downpours.
According to her, the destruction of these wetlands has significantly contributed to the worsening flood situation in the capital, making restoration a necessary step in flood management.
“Mr. Speaker, we have about six wetlands that have to be restored in Accra alone. The reason we have to do this is that we need spaces where we can hold water. The rivers must be given their room and the streams must be given their space,” she said.
She explained that the government’s intervention would involve clearing unauthorized developments to recreate natural water retention zones that can reduce the impact of flooding in vulnerable communities.
The Deputy Minister further indicated that individuals who acquired land within the affected wetlands should seek compensation from those who sold the properties, noting that the state would not be responsible for such transactions.
The decision comes in the wake of severe flooding across the Greater Accra Region on Monday, which resulted in 10 deaths, displaced over 7,700 households, and left thousands of residents affected.
Authorities say the proposed demolition exercise forms part of long-term efforts to address the root causes of flooding rather than relying solely on emergency response measures during the rainy season.
