Every year, when the rains come, some parts of Ghana flood. Roads become impassable, homes and businesses are damaged, livelihoods are disrupted, and, tragically, lives are sometimes lost. Many people point to climate change or heavy rainfall as the main causes.
While these certainly play a role, they do not tell the whole story. Much of the flooding we experience is the result of choices we make every day as individuals, communities and institutions. The reality is that flooding in Ghana is as much a waste management problem as it is a weather problem.
Our Drains Have Become Waste Bins Take a walk around many towns and cities, and the signs are not hard to miss. Plastic bags, food containers, bottles, old furniture, construction waste and all kinds of rubbish end up in drains, streams and open spaces. When the rains come, these materials block the flow of water.
Drains overflow, roads flood and entire communities are affected. No drainage system, however well designed, can function properly if it is filled with waste. Flooding Starts Long Before It Rains Flooding does not begin when the first drop of rain falls.
It starts when waste is dumped into drains instead of being collected properly. It starts when communal bins overflow because they are not emptied on time. It starts when drains are left uncleared and when developments are allowed on waterways and flood-prone land.
By the time the heavy rains arrive, the conditions for flooding have already been created. Laws Mean Little Without Enforcement Ghana has environmental laws, sanitation by-laws and planning regulations. The issue is that existing laws are not always enforced consistently.
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