General Secretary hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Eugene Boakye Antwi, has defended the flood prevention efforts of the Akufo-Addo administration, arguing that no government has invested more in tackling flooding in Ghana.

Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show in the aftermath of the June 29 floods, Mr Boakye Antwi said the previous government committed significant resources to flood control interventions across the country.

According to him, the Akufo-Addo administration allocated substantial budgetary resources to flood mitigation projects, including the construction and desilting of drains.

“If any government has tackled flooding in Ghana, it is Akufo-Addo. He gave us about GH¢450 million in his first term in the national budget. In 2018, he allocated GH¢198 million for national flood control. In 2020, he also gave the Ministry GH¢250 million for drain channels, desilting and related works,” he said.

Mr Boakye Antwi stressed that flood prevention requires proactive planning rather than reactive measures after heavy rains have begun.

He proposed the establishment of a dedicated contingency fund for the Ministry of Works and Housing to ensure that preventive works begin early each year.

“We know that when it rains in this country, you don’t wait until the rains start before taking action,” he noted.

“We have to create a contingency fund for the Ministry of Works and Housing so that by January or February gutters can be desilted and more drains constructed to prevent flooding,” he said.

The NPP General Secretary hopeful also observed that Accra’s geographical characteristics make it particularly vulnerable to flooding.

He called on political actors to avoid politicising the recurring flooding problem and instead focus on long-term solutions.

“Whether we like it or not, Accra is a low-lying city. Let’s not politicise this and rather look for a long-term solution,” he urged.

He argued that government should prioritise flood-prone communities, improve drainage infrastructure and take decisive action against structures obstructing waterways.

“We need to target places that usually flood and fix those problems. Those who have built on waterways should be demolished if need be. Something drastic needs to be done,” he added.