The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has expressed concern over the recent flooding that has affected Accra, Tema, and several other parts of the country following sustained heavy rainfall.
In a press release dated June 30, UTAG extended its heartfelt sympathies to all affected persons and families, especially those who have suffered the loss of lives, shelter, property, livelihoods, and personal security.
“We also stand in solidarity with workers, traders, students, and commuters whose daily lives and economic activities have been severely disrupted. The recurrence of floods in Ghana, particularly in urban centres, is no longer a seasonal inconvenience to be managed with routine statements and temporary interventions. It is a grave national failure of planning, enforcement, environmental governance, and infrastructure management,” UTAG stated in the statement jointly signed by Prof Vera O. Fiador, National President and Samuel Kingsford Seglah, PhD. National Secretary.
It said, “The persistent destruction of lives and property through flooding, year after year, is unacceptable and must be treated as a matter of urgent national priority. UTAG therefore calls on Government to move beyond reactive responses and take immediate, decisive, and sustained action to address this perennial problem.
According to UTAG, “The time has come for a comprehensive national flood mitigation agenda anchored in strong political will, institutional accountability, and measurable implementation. This must include the aggressive enforcement of planning regulations, the desilting, redesign, and expansion of drainage systems, the restoration and protection of wetlands and other natural retention basins, the removal of structures obstructing waterways, and significant investment in resilient urban infrastructure capable of responding to changing rainfall patterns and rapid urban growth.
UTAG further urged Government to hold all relevant public institutions and officials accountable for failures in land use control, physical planning, building approval, and drainage management.
“It is deeply troubling that unauthorized developments continue to appear in waterways, flood plains, and other ecologically sensitive zones, often with little or no effective institutional restraint. This culture of neglect and impunity must end,” UTAG noted.
UTAG also reminded individuals, landlords, estate developers, and all stakeholders within the built environment of the importance of complying with planning regulations and environmental protection requirements.
“We encourage all actors to avoid developments in waterways, wetlands, flood-prone areas, and other locations not approved for residential or commercial construction. As recent events continue to demonstrate, non-compliance with planning laws and environmentally responsible land-use practices can significantly exacerbate the impact of flooding. Safeguarding lives, property, and the environment is a shared responsibility that requires collective commitment to lawful and sustainable development,” UTAG indicated.
The Association said, “As a body of academics and professionals drawn from diverse disciplines across Ghana’s public universities, UTAG wishes to affirm its readiness to support national efforts aimed at finding durable solutions to flooding. UTAG stands ready to place this reservoir of expertise at the disposal of the nation in support of evidence-based policy, technical assessment, public education, and sustainable flood management strategies.”
UTAG therefore called for “immediate action by Government, responsible conduct by citizens, and a coordinated national resolve to end the enduring shame of perennial flooding in our country.
