Dr. Patrick Amoah Bekoe, Vice President of the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE), has attributed Ghana’s persistent flooding to weak enforcement of planning laws and political reluctance to act, rather than a shortage of engineering expertise. Appearing on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Monday, July 6, he stressed that the country already has the technical knowledge, planning frameworks, and engineering designs necessary to avert floods, but successive governments have failed to implement them.
“Our challenge is not knowledge; it is implementation,” he noted. Dr. Bekoe argued that flooding ceases to be a natural disaster when authorities neglect proper urban planning and drainage systems. “Rainfall is inevitable, but what matters is how you plan and engineer the flow of water. Without proper planning, the water will carve its own path, and that is what leads to flooding,” he explained.
His remarks come in the wake of the June 29 floods, which claimed over 30 lives and destroyed homes and businesses across Greater Accra. He further identified uncontrolled construction on waterways, poor sanitation, and political interference in planning approvals as key drivers of the crisis.
“When we know there is a natural waterway, we fill it and build on it, thinking the water will disappear. Water naturally finds its course,” he said. He further alleged that building plans are sometimes altered to accommodate influential individuals. “Sometimes people go to the assemblies and original plans are changed just to satisfy powerful people. Those are the challenges we are facing.”
The engineer said the problem extends beyond politicians to enforcement agencies and local assemblies. “If people have illegally built on waterways without permits, then those structures should be demolished. The political will must be there.” He warned that allowing illegal developments to persist comes at a human cost.
“We have lost more than 30 people. Among them could have been future presidents, engineers or broadcasters. We cannot continue sacrificing lives because of a lack of political will.” Dr Bekoe urged government institutions to prioritise the implementation of existing engineering recommendations instead of commissioning new studies.
“We already have the plans. What we need now is action.”
Source: Winifred Lartey
