National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) is taking decisive steps to reduce the country’s persistent flooding challenges, with its Director-General, Dr. Joseph Bikanyi Kuyon, announcing plans to demolish unauthorized structures that obstruct water flow.

During an appearance on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, April 8, Dr. Kuyon explained that the strategy would involve both demolitions and large-scale dredging exercises, especially in flood-prone urban centres like Accra.

“To solve a problem, there must be some discomfort, so people will have to incur some displeasures based on the actions that will be taken to ensure that the rest of us are safe. Some structures will have to be pulled down,” he said.

Dr. Kuyon noted that several water bodies and drains have been filled in or blocked by construction, disrupting natural flow patterns and increasing flood risks. He insisted that these areas must be cleared and restored.

“Those who have started filling these places will have to stop, and we will dredge these places to restore them to their original state for them to play the role they are supposed to play because the ecosystem is disturbed.

“If you don’t restore it, what it means is that the lives that are in this system will suffer. So, there will be dredging, there will be demolishing, and we have to do it when we have to ensure that the flooding that is envisaged is effectively managed,” he stated.

While Accra is frequently spotlighted in conversations about flooding, he stressed that other parts of the country also face similar threats.

“Flooding is not only peculiar to Accra, but it is because we see a serious problem in Accra that is why the conversation is always centred around Accra,” he said.

Responding to fears that demolitions might be carried out unfairly, Dr. Kuyon emphasized that expert evaluations would guide every decision.

“We don’t demolish with a layman’s eye. We [have] engineers, technocrats who are going to be part of this team, [and they] are going to advise. Where structures are supposed to be pulled down, they will. Where it is possible to redirect the direction of water, and not necessarily tamper with people’s property, that will be done,” he added.

With the rainy season approaching, NADMO’s intensified flood-control measures aim to prevent avoidable disasters and restore resilience to Ghana’s urban and rural infrastructure.

The Director-General of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Maj. (RTD) Joseph Bikanyi Kuyon is warning persons with buildings on waterways to brace themselves for the demolition of these structures as his outfit works to address flooding concerns in the… pic.twitter.com/z2fRYaUXss— CITI FM 97.3 (@Citi973) April 8, 2025