Accra, July 11, GNA – The Ghana Institute of Geoscientists (GhIG) has begun a new initiative to help the country prevent and manage floods and landslides through scientific research and evidence-based planning.
The initiative, labelled “Geoscience for a safer Ghana” forms part of GhIG’s response to the recent flooding and landslides that claimed lives, displaced thousands of people and caused extensive damage to property across the country.
A statement signed by Mr Cluadius Mensah, the General Secretary, GhIG, copied to the Ghana News Agency, commiserated with the families who lost their loved ones to the disaster, while commending emergency responders for their efforts.
It said although emergency relief remained important, the country must also focus on long-term solutions that addressed the root causes of recurring floods and landslides.
As an immediate response to the current crisis, the Institute proposed three urgent measures that can be implemented without delay.
First, the Government should commission a rapid geohazard mapping exercise for the most severely flood-affected districts, using existing satellite imagery and remote sensing data, to identify high-risk zones and inform emergency shelter and resettlement decisions, it said.
Second, the District Assemblies should immediately suspend the issuance of development permits in known floodplains and geologically unstable slopes pending a geoscientific site assessment.
“This step costs nothing but can prevent future loss of life and property,” the statement said.
In addition, it called on the National Disaster Management Organisation to formally co-opt member geoscientists into its current field assessment teams, to ensure that geological expertise informed the damage assessment process already underway.
Those immediate measures, taken together, could begin to shift the country’s flood response from pure reaction towards evidence-based action, and lay the groundwork for the longer-term reforms that GhIG had outlined and was ready to contribute to the National Geological Hazard and Flood Risk Atlas, the statement said.
As part of GhIG’s contribution to long-term solutions, it has launched the “Geoscience for a Safer Ghana Initiative.”
Throughout July 2026, the institute will draw on its collective professional expertise to provide scientific clarity, understand the root causes of these perennial disasters, and contribute evidence-based perspectives to the national discourse.
“GhIG seeks to elevate the national conversation beyond short-term blame. To achieve this, the institute will implement its core strategic initiatives under the campaign this July,” the statement said.
“As part of the initiative a series of educational expert articles will be published in major national newspapers this week to explain how geosciences like hydrology and soil analysis are essential for long-term flood prevention.”
It said a specialised team of geoscientists will visit areas affected by mudslides to study landslide tracks and ground conditions to help protect vulnerable hill communities.
In addition, a Public Webinar will take place on Wednesday, 29th July at 6:00 PM GMT via Microsoft Teams to break down the science behind the crisis and share practical, data-driven solutions.
“Our objective this July is to channel our professional grief into a constructive contribution to national safety. Understanding the earth is the first step towards living safely upon it, and GhIG remains fully committed to defining the critical role the profession must play in safeguarding lives and building a more resilient nation.”
The institute invited the public, media houses, civil society organisations, and state development agencies to actively follow and participate in the dialogues.
“Links for the public webinar and updates on the field findings will be shared continuously on GhIG’s official communication channels,” it said.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
By Christopher Arko