President of the Ghana Institution of Engineers (GhIE) Ing. Ludwig Annang Hesse, has raised concerns that human activity within Accra has significantly undermined the city’s natural water retention systems, worsening the recurring flood situation.

Speaking on the Super Morning Show on Joy FM, he said many flood-prone areas in the capital are the result of gradual encroachment on waterways and the destruction of natural drainage buffers that once helped regulate excess rainfall.

According to him, sections of the city that previously served as natural water retention zones have been taken over by unauthorised or poorly regulated developments, a trend he described as a major driver of the flooding challenges witnessed during Wednesday’s rainstorm.

“All the water-retention areas in Accra have been compromised. We have brought this situation upon ourselves. We do not need a prophet anymore,” he said.

“The drainage channels downstream, which are already operating beyond capacity, are filled with silt, rubbish and plastic waste. We are building in waterways and filling water-retention basins. Places such as Sakumono, Teshie and Korle are all being reclaimed and developed. If we continue on this path, we are heading towards a disaster,” he warned.

“We will continue to experience flooding in several parts of Accra annually. That is the situation we have created for ourselves," he noted.

Ing. Hesse stressed that the situation reflects years of planning lapses and weak enforcement of environmental and building regulations.

He cautioned that without urgent corrective measures, including the restoration and protection of drainage ecosystems, Accra will continue to face severe flooding whenever heavy rains occur.