President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to decongest Accra by relocating some major government departments and creating a new growth centre outside the capital as part of a long-term strategy to address the city's persistent flooding challenges.

Speaking after inspecting flood-affected areas following Monday's heavy downpour, President Mahama said the government was considering measures to encourage development beyond Accra, noting that excessive concentration of people and infrastructure in the capital had worsened urban pressures.

“We will try and move some of the city out. That is the major government departments, and then also create a new centre of growth so that our people start building outside Accra in a new city, instead of everybody looking for some space in Accra to build,” he said.

The President, however, acknowledged that the proposal represents a long-term solution and expressed sympathy to residents who suffered losses during the floods.

He noted that the destruction caused by the flooding was extensive and commended the military, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ghana Police Service, the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources, the 48 Engineers Regiment and other emergency response teams for their rescue efforts.

President Mahama also disclosed that he had directed the Minister for Finance to release funds from the Contingency Fund to support relief efforts for affected persons.

The Minister of Works, Housing and Water Resources, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, said an assessment of the flooding had identified both engineering and attitudinal factors as key contributors to the recurring problem.

According to him, the ministry would work with engineers and other stakeholders to ensure that the necessary technical interventions are implemented while encouraging Ghanaians to adopt responsible practices that support flood prevention efforts.

President Mahama further urged citizens and authorities to pursue lasting solutions to Accra’s flooding problem, stressing that temporary responses after every disaster were no longer sufficient.

“This time should be different,” he said, calling for a collective commitment to addressing the root causes of flooding in the capital.

Addressing the nation after the flood, the Interior Minister, Muntaka Mohammed has revealed that more than 38,800 people have so far been displaced and 12 lives lost Muntaka, has disclosed.

Addressing Parliament, Interior Minister Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak disclosed that Ghana recorded 169 millimetres of rainfall within a single day during the recent downpour, making it the fourth-highest daily rainfall volume recorded in the country since 1995.

He noted that the flooding impacted 25 communities spread across 16 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), causing widespread disruption to transportation and limiting access to Accra’s Central Business District for many residents and commuters.

The assemblies affected include Ga East, Ledzokuku, Ayawaso Central, Ga Central, Ga West, Ablekuma North, Ningo Prampram, Weija-Gbawe, Ga South, Adenta, Korle Klottey, Okaikwei South, Okaikwei North, Tema West, Tema Metropolitan Assembly, La Dade Kotopon and Krowor.

According to the Minister, the floods affected 7,761 households and displaced an estimated 38,802 individuals across the impacted areas.

Korle Klottey recorded the highest number of displaced residents, with 6,500 people from 1,300 households forced from their homes. It was followed by Tema Metropolitan Assembly, where 3,601 people were displaced, Tema West with 3,450 displaced persons, and Ayawaso Central, which recorded 3,021 displaced residents.