Accra, Ghana – Businessman and philanthropist Alhaji Seidu Agongo has called for decisive and sustained action to tackle Ghana’s recurring floods, insisting that the country must move beyond emergency relief efforts and address the root causes of the annual disaster.
Speaking after donating GH¢1.45 million worth of relief items to flood victims in several communities across Accra, Alhaji Agongo urged government, state institutions and citizens to work together to implement long-term measures that would prevent future flooding.
He said while humanitarian assistance remains essential for affected families, it should not become the country’s primary response to a problem that has persisted for decades.
“It does not speak well of Ghana, a country that attained independence almost 70 years ago, to be dealing with the same flooding problem every year when we have the human, technical and natural resources to solve it,” he said.
Alhaji Agongo identified indiscriminate waste disposal, illegal construction on waterways and inadequate desilting of drains as some of the major factors contributing to flooding in many parts of the country.
He called on the relevant state agencies to strictly enforce environmental and sanitation regulations, arguing that effective implementation of existing laws would significantly reduce the frequency and impact of floods.
According to him, some of the measures required to address the problem may appear difficult in the short term, but strong political leadership is needed to ensure lasting solutions.
“Leadership must take the bull by the horns. The decisions may seem harsh at first, but they are necessary if we want to permanently solve this challenge and protect lives and property,” he said.
The businessman also urged authorities to adopt a non-partisan approach to flood management, stressing that natural disasters affect all Ghanaians regardless of political affiliation.
“Floods do not discriminate. This is a national issue that requires a united national response,” he stated.
Alhaji Agongo made the remarks while distributing relief supplies, including rice, canned tomatoes, milk and cloth, to residents of flood-affected communities such as Mamobi, Nima, Alajo, Quay Mensah and Kaneshie.
The donation, valued at GH¢1.45 million, forms part of his humanitarian response to the devastating floods that recently displaced families and destroyed homes and livelihoods in parts of the capital.
While expressing sympathy for affected residents, Alhaji Agongo maintained that preventing future disasters through stronger enforcement of planning, environmental and sanitation laws would ultimately have a greater impact than repeated emergency interventions.
He called on citizens, businesses and government institutions to work collectively to build cleaner, safer and more climate-resilient communities, saying sustainable action—not temporary relief—remains the key to ending Ghana’s perennial flood crisis.
Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com
