Heavy Rains Are Becoming Flood Disasters in Wa as Climate Change and Poor Planning Collide
“Previously, we didn’t use to feel the effect of the water like we do,” Maxwell Maaluu, a resident of Kambali in the Wa Municipality of the Upper West Region of Ghana, said after floodwaters invaded his home.
His frustration followed a heavy downpour on the morning of Sunday, March 29, 2026, which lasted over three hours and left a trail of destruction across communities including Kambali, Mangu, Kpaguri, and Kumbiehi.
What began as the first major rainfall of the year quickly turned into a disaster, as homes were inundated, shops submerged, roads rendered impassable, and critical community infrastructure such as bridges washed away.
For many residents, the floods were not just an act of nature but a stark signal of a changing climate interacting dangerously with long-standing planning failures.
“In this area, when it rains, the water just enters our rooms because there are no gutters,” Mr. Maaluu told Info Radio, adding that “we fear for our children anytime the rains start.”
Another resident, Abdullah Abdul Wahid, who has lived in the community since 1990, said movement becomes nearly impossible during floods, forcing residents to carry the elderly through water.
“We have been promised a bridge for years, but nothing has been done, and every heavy rain brings suffering,” he said.
The situation is not isolated to Kambali, as several parts of the Wa Municipality experienced varying degrees of flooding during the March 29 downpour.
Poor drainage causes run-off water to take over street in Wa
The Upper West Regional Director of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Abdul-Latif Sinsew Osman, attributed the flooding largely to human activities.
“Indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drains chokes the system and prevents water from flowing freely,” Mr. Osman said in an interview on Info Radio, warning that “when the rains come, the water has nowhere to go.”
He also cautioned against building on waterways, stressing that “such practices increase the risk of flooding and disasters in our communities.”
According to him, NADMO is intensifying public education ahead of the rainy season to encourage proper waste disposal and safer building practices.
Water-way structures submerged following March 29 downpour in Wa
At the policy and planning level, officials say deeper structural issues are compounding the problem.
“Our flooding situation cannot be attributed to one issue; many factors are at play,” said Abdul Hafiz Salifu, Head of the Planning Preparation Directorate at the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA) in the Upper West Region.
He explained that “people dispose waste into gutters, builders put up structures without proper permits, and water ends up entering homes and shops.”
Mr. Salifu further revealed that enforcement remains a major challenge, noting that “the Planning and Building Inspectorate Unit in Wa is manned by only three personnel who even oversee other districts.”
Ambrose Wawai, a Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at LUSPA, pointed to the growing influence of climate change on rainfall patterns.
“A lot has changed, including climate change, making it difficult to predict rainfall patterns,” he said, adding that “this sometimes results in the flooding we are seeing.”
Providing deeper scientific context, Ruhullah Buambeu Abdullah, climate change and sustainable development specialist, explained that while flooding in Wa cannot be attributed entirely to climate change, its influence is increasingly evident.
“Scientific evidence shows that northern Ghana is experiencing erratic rainfall and more intense downpours,” he said, noting that “climate change is not necessarily causing more rain overall, but it is changing how the rain falls.”
He explained that the region’s unimodal rainfall pattern, which traditionally features a single rainy season, is becoming more irregular, with long dry spells followed by heavy storms.
“What this means is that rainfall is becoming difficult to predict, and when it comes, it often falls heavily within a short period, increasing runoff and flood risk,” he added.
Mr. Abdullah emphasized that climate change alone does not determine disasters, but works through existing vulnerabilities.
“Climate change may set the stage, but human activities then determine the scale of the disaster,” he said.
He identified poor drainage infrastructure, construction on waterways, and improper waste disposal leading to clogged drains as key drivers of flooding in Wa.
“When heavy rains occur, now more intense due to climate change, the water has nowhere to go, so it is forced to find its way elsewhere,” he explained.
In simple terms, he noted, “climate change increases the hazard, but poor urban planning and sanitation increase the disaster.”
For local authorities, the consequences are visible in damaged infrastructure.
The Assembly Member for the Zingu Electoral Area, who also serves as the Presiding Member for the Wa Municipal Assembly, said a major bridge in his area continues to fail under pressure.
Bridge along Zingu road washed during March 29 downpour
“For the past three years, we have been doing communal labour to repair it, but the bridge cannot withstand the volume of water,” he said, explaining that “almost all the drainage water in the municipality passes through this area.”
He emphasized the need for a permanent engineering solution, noting that “what we need is a proper drainage system and a durable bridge, not temporary fixes.”
Civil society voices are also highlighting the human role in worsening flood impacts.
“Yes, rains are natural, but the effects we are seeing are human-driven,” said Anass Salifu, a resident and activist on Info Radio Weekend Watch.
“If you go around Kambali, you will see people building in waterways, and the drains being constructed are too small to contain the volume of water,” he said.
He further criticized the disregard for building regulations, stating that “people rush to build without permits, and this creates serious risks during heavy rains.”
Mr. Abdullah stressed that addressing the issue requires both policy action and community responsibility.
“We must invest in climate-resilient drainage systems, enforce land-use planning, and integrate climate data into municipal planning,” he said.
He also called for early warning systems and stronger public awareness, urging communities to adopt proper waste management practices and protect natural buffers such as wetlands.
“When we destroy wetlands, which naturally absorb excess water, we reduce the environment’s ability to manage floods,” he added.
Flooding in Wa leaves shop owners stranded
The March 29 flooding incident highlights the growing intersection between climate change and urban development challenges in rapidly expanding towns like Wa.
As populations increase and land use intensifies, pressure on weak infrastructure continues to expose communities to climate-related risks.
For residents like Maxwell Maaluu and Abdullah Abdul Wahid, the message is clear: without urgent action, every heavy rainfall could bring renewed hardship.
“If nothing changes, this will keep happening,” Mr. Wahid said, reflecting a growing concern shared by many in the municipality.