'Land that requires filling not fit for housing' – Dr. Ankomah Gyamera warns amid Ghana flood crisis

Lands that require extensive filling with laterite before construction are fundamentally unsuitable for residential accommodation and must be treated as warning signs of poor land selection, according to Dr. Engr. Surveyor Ebenezer Ankomah Gyamera, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Cape Coast (UCC).

According to Dr. Gyamera, who is also the Southern Sector Chairman of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, Ghana (IET-Gh), and Chief Executive Officer of Gyam Engineering Company, low-lying wetlands, floodplains, waterways, and naturally waterlogged areas perform important environmental functions and should not be converted into residential settlements without rigorous engineering and environmental assessments. He explained that excessive dependence on filling materials such as laterite often indicates that the original land condition was not suitable for the intended development.

Weighing in on the recent devastating floods that swept through parts of Ghana, Dr. Gyamera argued that a major underlying challenge is the absence of a fully enforced and coordinated national land-use management system. He warned that weak spatial planning, poor enforcement of building regulations, and uncontrolled development in ecologically sensitive areas have transformed natural rainfall events into recurring human-made disasters.

According to available disaster management records, flooding remains one of Ghana’s most frequent natural hazards, affecting thousands of people annually. Over the past two decades, Ghana has experienced repeated urban flooding events, particularly in Accra, Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi, and other rapidly expanding urban centres. The World Bank has estimated that flooding costs Ghana hundreds of millions of Ghana cedis annually through destruction of infrastructure, loss of productivity, emergency response expenditure, and damage to private property.

The Greater Accra Region alone has recorded several destructive floods, including the June 3, 2015 disaster, which resulted in more than 150 deaths following severe flooding and the associated fire explosion. Experts have consistently linked these recurring disasters to rapid urbanisation, inadequate drainage capacity, construction within flood-prone zones, and poor compliance with land-use plans.

The engineer and professional surveyor made these remarks during an interview with DC Kwame Kwakye on GBC Radio Central’s ‘Wɔnfrɛ Yie’ show on Saturday, July 4, 2026.

“If you buy land and you are required to fill it extensively before erecting a structure, that should immediately signal that the plot is not meant for residential purposes,” Dr. Gyamera emphasised.

He noted that such practices have become widespread across the country, especially in rapidly growing urban areas where wetlands and natural drainage corridors are increasingly being converted into housing developments.

Dr. Gyamera explained that nature already provides a drainage system through valleys, wetlands, streams, and water retention areas. When these natural systems are blocked by buildings, roads, and unplanned developments, stormwater is forced to find alternative paths, resulting in destructive flooding.

“Floods may be triggered by nature, but disasters are often created by human decisions. Every building we approve, every drain we ignore, and every regulation we compromise determines whether communities survive or suffer,” he stated.

To avert future disasters, he implored prospective developers to always engage certified professionals—including licensed surveyors, engineers, architects, and planners—before acquiring land or beginning construction.

Dr. Gyamera was particularly critical of the common tendency to confuse the responsibilities of masons with those of professionally trained engineers.

“Most Ghanaian developers mistake a mason for an engineer or an architect,” he stated.

He clarified that while masons play an important role in construction by physically laying blocks and implementing designs, engineers undertake scientific assessments involving soil conditions, structural strength, drainage behaviour, load calculations, material suitability, and long-term safety.

He further explained that buildings constructed on filled lands without proper geotechnical investigations face increased risks of differential settlement, foundation failure, structural cracks, and possible collapse.

He also sought to correct the perception that engineering services are prohibitively expensive. According to him, the cost of professional consultation represents only a small fraction of total construction expenditure but can prevent major financial losses in the future.

“If you can raise the capital to put up a mansion and yet refuse to hire a certified engineer, that reflects poorly not only on the developer’s mindset but also on our national attitude towards undervaluing essential professional services,” he stressed.

Turning his attention to regulatory enforcement, Dr. Gyamera highlighted the challenges facing Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in controlling development. He noted that although Ghana has important regulatory frameworks, including the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, 2016 (Act 925), effective implementation remains a major challenge.

He explained that many assemblies struggle with inadequate technical personnel, weak monitoring systems, and limited logistics required to inspect ongoing developments. He further raised concerns about professionals occupying technical positions without maintaining valid professional certification.

“I am appealing to government to consider taking strong action against any assembly engineer who fails to regularly renew their professional licence,” he suggested.

According to him, professionals responsible for public safety must continuously demonstrate competence and accountability because decisions on building permits, structural approvals, and development control directly affect human lives.

Dr. Gyamera further called for stronger collaboration among the Lands Commission, Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority, Engineering Council, professional bodies, traditional authorities, and local assemblies to ensure that land allocation and development follow proper scientific and planning principles.

He emphasised that Ghana’s increasing urbanisation makes urgent reforms necessary. With more than half of Ghana’s population now living in urban areas, pressure on land continues to increase, making proper spatial planning and engineering supervision more important than ever.

In his concluding remarks, Dr. Ankomah Gyamera expressed cautious optimism, stating that Ghana can significantly reduce flooding and building-related disasters if the country prioritises professional expertise and strengthens enforcement before, during, and after construction.

He observed that rainfall itself is not the enemy; rather, the real challenge lies in poor planning decisions, weak enforcement, and disregard for professional advice.

“If we fail to engage certified engineers, and given the forecasted increases in extreme rainfall events associated with climate change, we should prepare ourselves for far worse scenarios in the future,” he warned.

He concluded that sustainable development requires respecting the science of land, because every parcel has a natural purpose—and ignoring that purpose comes at a cost.