The government has announced a National Post-Flood Mitigation Committee to coordinate relief, recovery and long-term flood mitigation efforts following the devastating floods that struck parts of the country after heavy rains on June 28 and 29.
The committee, established on the directive of President John Dramani Mahama, will be coordinated by Brigadier General Foster Okae-Yeboah, Director General of Joint Operations at the Ghana Armed Forces, as part of an expanded national response aimed at restoring normalcy and preventing future flood disasters.
Speaking at a government media briefing in Accra on Friday, Brig. Okae-Yeboah said the President ordered the activation of the committee after touring affected communities to assess the extent of the destruction firsthand.
“Following this assessment, the President directed the activation of a national post-flood mitigation task force to coordinate all recovery, relief and mitigation interventions,” he said.
The committee comprises five specialized sub-committees: the Post-Flood Mitigation Committee, Early Warning Committee, Sanitation and Health Committee, Relief and Donations Committee, and Emergency Communications Committee.
According to Brig. Gen. Okae-Yeboah, the government has committed GH¢350 million towards emergency relief, recovery and flood mitigation interventions to support affected communities.
He said the Ghana Armed Forces had been tasked to lead the operational component of the exercise in collaboration with the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), the Ghana Police Service, Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Health Service, Environmental Protection Agency, private sector organisations and other stakeholders.
The nationwide exercise will focus on clearing refuse, silt, fallen trees, abandoned vehicles, collapsed structures and other debris obstructing drains, roads, bridges and waterways.
Engineering units of the military will also be deployed to dredge major drains, rivers and streams to improve water flow.
Brig. Okae-Yeboah indicated that structures illegally constructed within waterways or posing immediate danger to public safety may be removed where necessary in accordance with existing laws and directives of the appropriate civil authorities.
He further disclosed that MMDAs had been instructed to organise clean-up exercises within their jurisdictions to complement the national operation.
Government also acknowledged the support of private companies that have volunteered heavy equipment, logistics and technical expertise for the exercise, while equipment acquired under the District Road Improvement Programme is being mobilised to augment operations across affected communities.
Residents have been advised to cooperate with security personnel, observe temporary traffic diversions and comply with safety directives during the exercise.
Owners of structures located within drainage reservations and waterways have also been urged to cooperate with authorities to facilitate the implementation of the recovery programme.
Brig. Gen. Okae-Yeboah stressed that the operation forms part of a broader national flood resilience strategy aimed at improving drainage infrastructure, strengthening early warning systems, enforcing environmental regulations and enhancing emergency preparedness nationwide.
“The success of this exercise depends on the collective efforts of government, local authorities, the security services, the private sector, civil society organisations and every citizen. It is through this shared effort that we will restore our communities and build a cleaner, safer and more resilient Ghana,” he stated.
He assured the public that regular updates would be provided as the mitigation programme progresses.
