Don't blame recurring floods only on the attitude of citizens — Manasseh Azure

Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has rejected the narrative that the recurring flooding in several parts of the country is largely caused by human behaviour.

The comment comes after hours of heavy rainfall on Monday, June 29, triggered widespread flooding, leading to loss of lives, displacement of residents and damage to property across several parts of the capital.

Following an aerial inspection of the affected areas, President John Dramani Mahama attributed part of the flooding to changing climatic conditions and human behaviour, arguing that illegal structures in waterways and poor environmental practices continue to worsen the situation.

However, reacting in a social media post on Tuesday, June 30, the renowned journalist argued that leadership must also be held accountable, saying citizens are more likely to comply with the law when governments create well-planned communities and enforce regulations.

"Don't blame only the attitude of the people. The attitude of leadership matters, too. No society has developed or solved its problems by outsourcing leadership responsibility to the goodness of the people," Manasseh wrote.

According to him, countries that have effectively addressed sanitation and flooding challenges have done so through proper urban planning, effective waste management systems and strict enforcement of laws rather than relying solely on public cooperation.

He maintained that leadership has a responsibility to create systems that leave little room for indiscipline, noting that even minor environmental violations attract sanctions in well-organised societies.

"The attitude of the people matters, but when there is no leadership, people do what they want. Bad leadership breeds bad attitudes from followers," he stated.

Manasseh further argued that effective waste management, adequate infrastructure and consistent law enforcement are essential to tackling the country's perennial flooding problem.