Chief Govt Officer of the Middle for Citizenship, Constitutional and Electoral Techniques (CenCES), Mr. James Kwabena Bonfe, mentioned Accra’s incessant flooding is essentially a results of poor implementation of plans and weak enforcement of laws.
Talking on the Pleasure Information AM Present on Monday, June 8, Bonfe asserted that Ghana’s capital is dealing with the results of years of poor planning, weak regulatory enforcement and over-centralization of nationwide improvement.
Approaching the problem from a improvement analysis perspective, we questioned whether or not Accra’s infrastructure may maintain a quickly rising inhabitants.
“When you think about the variety of roads, buildings and terrain, it’s clear that Accra is overpopulated,” he says. “The basic query is: Who licensed this? The reply is the state.”
Bonfe criticized the focus of alternatives and providers within the capital, noting that this imbalance makes it tough for residents to thrive outdoors Accra.
“We made Accra Ghana and we made Ghana Accra,” he mentioned. “In the present day, if you wish to do one thing significant in Ghana, however you are not in Accra, it’s extremely tough. All the things from passport providers to licenses is concentrated right here.”
He maintained that though current efforts at decentralization have been introduced, the issue stays crucial.
He cited the outcomes of the 2021 Inhabitants and Housing Census which revealed that 4 areas – Higher Accra, Ashanti, Jap and Central areas account for about 54.6 per cent of Ghana’s inhabitants, with Higher Accra main the way in which. “That is alarming and requires rapid, medium and long-term intervention,” he careworn.
Along with inhabitants stress, Bonfay pointed to mismanagement of city planning and insufficient implementation of improvement plans. He mentioned Accra was initially designed with correct drainage and sewage techniques, however these plans have been largely ignored.
He expressed concern about unauthorized building in waterways and flood-prone areas, particularly across the airport enclave.
“Persons are complaining about these developments, however new constructions hold arising. Who’s giving these permissions?” he questioned, calling for accountability from engineers and planning authorities.
Importantly, Bonfay careworn that this subject goes past the political system. He warned towards what he referred to as “low-cost and despicable politics” that exploit pure disasters comparable to heavy rains for partisan acquire.
“This isn’t concerning the NDC or the NPP. That sort of politics is killing Ghana,” he mentioned, calling for a whole-of-nation strategy to coping with the disaster.
He additionally lamented the decline in integrity inside the political house, suggesting that even primary requirements of accountability look like missing. “The place is the road of honor in our politics?” he requested.
Bonfe additionally pointed to a scarcity of public self-discipline as a contributing issue, particularly in waste disposal practices that result in clogged drains. He criticized the continued building of open gutters, a lot of which stay unfinished, exacerbating town’s sanitation issues.
Lastly, he referred to as for higher oversight and particular person accountability in any respect ranges of society. “We now have to ask ourselves how many people are resisting the temptation to take part in acts that in the end hurt us all,” he mentioned.
Mr. Bonfe careworn that addressing Accra’s challenges requires a complete and sustained strategy that mixes efficient governance, accountable citizenship and a renewed dedication to long-term city planning.
