President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the government is reviewing existing flood mitigation measures and identifying additional interventions following the devastating floods that recently affected several communities across the country.

According to the President, the review is intended to strengthen Ghana's preparedness and response to flooding, which he said is becoming more severe due to the combined effects of climate change and rapid urbanisation.

“We are therefore reviewing the measures taken so far and assessing additional interventions that need to be implemented going forward,” he said.

Mr. Mahama observed that although flooding has become a recurring challenge in Ghana, the recent disaster ranked among the most severe the country has experienced, attributing the situation partly to increasingly intense rainfall associated with climate change.

He also pointed to the rapid expansion of Accra, noting that the growing demand for land has resulted in the encroachment of waterways and flood retention areas that were originally reserved to channel excess water.

“The increasing demand for land to build has resulted in encroachment on areas that were originally reserved for the passage and containment of water,” he stated.

The President disclosed that the Ghana Armed Forces have been directed to support flood mitigation efforts, while the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and other relevant agencies continue to provide relief to affected communities.

He explained that the government had already constituted a task force before the floods to undertake preventive measures, including dredging major drains and waterways. However, he noted that the volume of rainfall during the recent downpour exceeded the capacity of the existing flood control measures.

To enhance the response, President Mahama announced that the Minister for Finance has released resources from the contingency fund to finance additional flood mitigation interventions.

The President made the remarks during a National Security meeting to assess the impact of the recent floods, which claimed about 13 lives and displaced thousands of households.

His comments come ahead of the nationwide National General Cleaning Days on July 10 and 11, an initiative aimed at improving sanitation, desilting drains and reducing the risk of future flooding.