Member of Parliament for the Akrofuom constituency, Joseph Azumah, has stated that the torrential rains witnessed on Monday, 28 June 2026, call for sober reflection and a collective commitment to addressing the root causes of flooding in Ghana.
He emphasised that lasting solutions require a dual approach combining decisive government action with public responsibility.
The lawmaker lamented the tendency of some individuals to use voting threats against the government whenever steps are taken to clear major drainage channels of obstructions.
He expressed deep concern that when officials are tasked with identifying and demolishing structures impeding the free flow of water, the issue is often heavily politicised.
According to Mr Azumah, some figures within government, in their quest to remain in office, actively oppose these critical interventions, which has consistently stalled progress in tackling the crisis.
“The rains we witnessed on Monday were unprecedented. But we have to acknowledge the human factor in all this. Part of the problem can be attributed to human error. We have politicised every issue, and so citizens think that they can threaten politicians with their votes when steps are taken to deal with challenges. And the politicians, who are also supposed to know better, sacrifice the general good of the people just so they can remain in power.”
Speaking on the programme Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, the MP urged the government to remain dedicated and completely disregard political consequences when removing drainage obstructions.
He described Monday’s extreme downpour as unprecedented and devastating, warning host Kwabena Agyapong that the consequences would have been far worse had the rain continued through the night.
Mr Azumah strongly criticised the indiscriminate disposal of waste in drains, warning that the country will continue to suffer the same fate if this public attitude does not change.
While acknowledging that the crisis cannot be resolved overnight, he stressed the need for time, sustained commitment, political will, and discipline.
Pointing to recent standard-setting pledges, he called for a renewed, structural focus on city planning.
He recounted a recent demolition exercise where the Greater Accra Regional Minister faced insults and curses simply for doing the right thing, citing it as a prime example of how politicisation undermines law enforcement.
He stressed by calling for immediate action over talk, urging assembly members, regulatory agencies, and citizens alike to stop building indiscriminately along waterways.
“This is not a challenge we can address in a day. We need time, commitment, political will, and discipline for us to deal with these challenges.”
“We have politicised everything and the end result is what we saw yesterday. We cannot sit down and allow the rains to cause this level of havoc. We should not allow people to build indiscriminately along waterways, or obtain permits and build with no respect for our laws. This is a challenge we must address right from citizens, assembly members, and the agencies responsible for planning the city.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
