Members of Parliament (MPs) have called for a comprehensive flood-resilient national planning framework to tackle Ghana’s recurring floods, urging strict enforcement of urban planning laws.

They called for the demolition of structures on waterways, the restoration of wetlands and mangroves, and the adoption of rainwater harvesting interventions.

Mr Jerry Ahmed Shaib, MP for Weija-Gbawe, who first read a statement on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, emphasised the need for sustainable flood solutions and cautioned against politicising issues surrounding floods.

He urged the Minister of Works and Housing to update Parliament on the country’s medium to long-term flood mitigation strategy and called on the government’s anti-flood taskforce to brief the House on its activities and recommendations to tackle the phenomenon.

The Weija-Gbawe legislator further demanded a flood-resilient plan for the Greater Accra Region and a coordinated approach involving local assemblies and traditional leaders to deal with the situation.

In another statement, Mr Isaac Yaw Boamah-Nyarko, MP for Effia, underscored the need to move beyond “condolences and emergencies” after floods and instead prioritise preventive measures.

He called for proper drainage systems, attitudinal change, and improved waste disposal practices.

Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, MP for Klottey Korle, and Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, MP for Ofoase Ayirebi, also added their voices to the call, stressing the urgency of addressing the menace.

Ghana has faced perennial flooding, particularly in Accra and other urban centres, often resulting in loss of lives, destruction of property, and displacement of communities.

Experts attribute the problem to poor urban planning, inadequate drainage systems, encroachment on waterways, and indiscriminate waste disposal.

Successive governments have initiated interventions, including task forces and emergency relief measures, but MPs argue that without a long-term, flood-resilient national plan, the cycle of destruction will persist.