The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has called on the government to adopt a comprehensive and sustained national strategy to address the country’s recurring flooding crisis, describing the annual devastation as a “grave national failure” of planning, environmental governance, and infrastructure management.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, June 30, following the recent floods that affected Accra, Tema and several other parts of the country, the association said the persistent destruction caused by floods could no longer be treated as a seasonal inconvenience requiring only emergency responses.
UTAG expressed sympathy to families who lost loved ones and to thousands of residents whose homes, businesses and livelihoods were affected by the heavy rains. It also acknowledged the disruption suffered by workers, traders, students and commuters across flood-hit communities.
The association argued that Ghana’s perennial flooding problem demands urgent national attention, urging authorities to move beyond what it described as “routine statements and temporary interventions.”
According to UTAG, the government must pursue a comprehensive flood mitigation agenda backed by strong political commitment, institutional accountability and measurable implementation.
It outlined a series of measures it believes are necessary to reduce the impact of flooding, including strict enforcement of planning regulations, extensive desilting and expansion of drainage systems, restoration and protection of wetlands, removal of structures obstructing waterways, and significant investment in climate-resilient urban infrastructure capable of coping with changing rainfall patterns and rapid urbanisation.
The association also called for greater accountability among public institutions responsible for land use planning, building approvals and drainage management.
“It is deeply troubling that unauthorized developments continue to appear in waterways, flood plains, and other ecologically sensitive zones, often with little or no effective institutional restraint. This culture of neglect and impunity must end,” the statement said.
Beyond government action, UTAG urged landlords, estate developers and the general public to comply with planning regulations and environmental protection laws by avoiding construction in waterways, wetlands and flood-prone areas.
The association noted that non-compliance with land-use regulations continues to worsen the impact of flooding, stressing that protecting lives, property and the environment requires collective responsibility.
UTAG further pledged the support of its members—drawn from public universities across the country—in developing evidence-based and sustainable solutions to the flood challenge.
It said the association was prepared to provide technical expertise, policy advice, public education and research to support national flood management efforts.
Concluding its statement, UTAG warned against normalising recurring flood disasters, insisting that Ghana must demonstrate greater urgency in tackling what it described as a preventable national crisis.
“A nation that repeatedly watches its people suffer from the same preventable crisis cannot claim to be acting with the seriousness the moment demands,” the association stated
