By Christopher Tetteh
Sunyani (Bono), June 24, GNA – Mr Samuel Ansong, the National General Secretary of the Local Government Service Association of Physical Planners (LoGSAPP), has called for strict enforcement of the National Building Regulations to curb recurring flooding in Accra and other parts of the country.
He said strict enforcement of the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, 2022 (LI 2465), as well as adherence to the Revised Zoning Guidelines and Planning Standards (2025) of the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA), would help address flooding and related environmental challenges.
Mr Ansong, a physical development planner, noted that flooding in Accra remained a major threat to lives, property, businesses, and infrastructure development.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani, he advocated the adoption of a “50:50 urban resilience development standard” policy in flood-prone areas.
He explained that under the policy, not more than 50 per cent of a building plot should be occupied by buildings and impermeable surfaces, while the remaining 50 per cent should be reserved for landscaping, infiltration facilities, rain gardens, permeable paving, and storm-water detention systems.
Mr Ansong said the policy aligned with the implementation of LI 2465, which promotes climate-resilient development, sustainable drainage systems, urban green infrastructure, and the preservation of wetlands, waterways, and floodplains.
“The existing developments should also be assessed and encouraged to redesign compounds to improve storm-water management,” he stated, saying that tackling flooding required a comprehensive, science-based, and long-term approach rather than recurring emergency interventions.
Mr Ansong also called for the establishment of a National Technical Task Force to support the development of a flood-resilient environment in Accra.
He said the task force should comprise relevant ministries, agencies, local authorities, professional bodies, and research institutions, including the Remote Sensing Laboratory of the University of Ghana and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), and operate under the Office of the Vice President.
According to him, the task force would provide strategic leadership, technical guidance, and coordination for flood resilience interventions, including the development of digital elevation models and hydrological modelling.
Among its objectives would be the identification of flood-prone communities, natural waterways, wetlands, drainage deficiencies, runoff patterns, and vulnerable infrastructure, leading to the preparation of a Greater Accra Flood Risk Atlas and Flood Resilience Master Plan.
Mr Ansong also emphasised the need to design surface drains, retention basins, and neighbourhood drainage systems to channel excess water into underground storm-water collector tunnels, as practised in cities such as London, New York, Singapore, and Tokyo.
He urged government agencies, local authorities, and communities to collaborate in restoring degraded wetlands and preventing further encroachment, stressing that such ecosystems should be treated as vital urban infrastructure.
Additionally, he proposed the establishment of an “Accra Flood Resilience Fund” to tackle flooding, suggesting that it be financed through national budget allocations and the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF).
“The solution to Accra’s flooding challenge lies in integrated spatial planning, science-based decision-making, strategic infrastructure investment, environmental restoration, strict enforcement of planning standards, and coordinated institutional action,” he said.
Mr Ansong noted that investing in flood prevention through proper planning, environmental protection, green infrastructure, and effective development control was more cost-effective and sustainable than repeatedly funding disaster recovery and infrastructure repairs.
GNA
Edited by Dennis Peprah/Lydia Kukua Asamoah
Reporter: Christopher Tetteh
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