'Don’t sell lands on waterways, wetlands and buffer zones' – Mahama to chiefs

President John Dramani Mahama has called on traditional authorities to support government’s efforts to tackle recurring flooding by preventing the allocation of lands for development on waterways, wetlands and other flood-prone areas.

He said chiefs and traditional leaders have a key role to play in promoting responsible land-use practices, enforcing sanitation standards and ensuring compliance with planning regulations within their communities.

President Mahama made the appeal on Tuesday, July 21, when the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs, Members of Parliament from the region and government officials paid a courtesy call on him at the Jubilee House.

The President acknowledged that heavy rainfall contributes significantly to flooding but stressed that human activities, including the obstruction of drains, construction on waterways, poor waste disposal practices and weak enforcement of planning laws, have worsened the challenge.

“The problem of flooding is not caused by rainfall alone. It is worsened when we block drains, when we develop over waterways and when we build on wetlands,” he said.

He urged traditional authorities to support government’s flood prevention initiatives by discouraging developments that interfere with natural water channels and encouraging proper sanitation practices in their traditional jurisdictions.

“I therefore appeal to Nii mei, Naa mei, not to permit or support the allocation of lands in waterways, on wetlands, drainage reserves, buffer zones, or other flood-prone areas,” he added.

The President’s appeal comes after the June 29 floods, which affected more than 38,000 people across the Greater Accra Region, displaced over 7,700 households and resulted in at least 15 deaths.