The government has approved the immediate release of GH¢300 million from the Contingency Fund to support flood relief operations and finance measures to reduce future flooding following the devastating rains that inundated parts of Accra and other communities in southern Ghana.
The directive was issued by President John Dramani Mahama, who instructed the Minister for Finance to disburse the funds as part of government’s emergency response to the floods caused by hours of unusually heavy rainfall.
According to a statement signed by the Spokesperson to the President and Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, half of the allocation—GH¢150 million—will be used to provide urgent assistance to flood victims and affected communities across the southern sector of the country.
The remaining GH¢150 million has been earmarked for flood mitigation projects aimed at reducing the frequency and impact of flooding.
“The directive forms part of government’s response to the flooding of parts of Accra and other communities in the southern sector of the country after hours of unusually heavy rainfall,” the statement said.
As part of the emergency measures, President Mahama has also directed the immediate deployment of personnel from the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service to support the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and other security agencies in ongoing rescue and relief operations.
The security personnel are expected to assist in evacuating stranded residents, delivering humanitarian support and ensuring public safety in flood-hit communities.
Earlier on Sunday, President Mahama conducted an aerial assessment of the flooded areas to evaluate the scale of the disaster.
Following the inspection, he announced a series of immediate and long-term interventions, including the clearance of blocked waterways, enhanced flood mitigation measures and plans to improve drainage infrastructure to prevent recurring floods.
