Ghana has been urged to establish a dedicated General Aviation system to strengthen emergency response and disaster management, as heavy rains triggered flooding and disruption across parts of the Greater Accra Region on Monday.
Persistent rainfall led to widespread flooding in several low-lying communities in Accra, submerging roads, slowing traffic movement, and leaving sections of the city’s morning commute heavily disrupted. The downpour added to long-standing concerns about drainage capacity and urban resilience in the capital.
Speaking in an interview with The High Street Journal, aviation expert Asiwome Dzakuma, Founder of Strategic Aviation Services, said the latest flooding episode highlights structural gaps in Ghana’s emergency response system, particularly the country’s heavy reliance on road transport during crises.
He argued that when floods cut off roads and bridges, emergency agencies struggle to reach affected communities in time, making aviation-based support critical for rescue and relief operations.
“Some agencies need a general aviation outfit to support their missions. When roads are cut off, aviation becomes essential for rescue and delivery of aid,” he said.
Dzakuma added that the challenge is not limited to Accra, warning that many flood-prone and rural areas across the country become completely inaccessible during emergencies.
“When you look at these situations, it is not just Accra. In many places, once bridges or roads are cut off, communities are completely isolated,” he said.
He said institutions such as the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the police, and other emergency responders are often overstretched during major flood events and require access to dedicated aviation resources for rapid assessment, monitoring, and intervention.
“We need to start thinking beyond ground transport. Even monitoring flood paths and assessing affected areas quickly requires aviation support,” he added.
Dzakuma further called for a comprehensive General Aviation policy framework, arguing that Ghana’s current aviation structure is largely oriented toward commercial airlines and does not adequately support smaller aviation operations such as emergency flights, aerial monitoring, and rural access missions.
According to him, countries such as Kenya and Botswana have made stronger progress in integrating general aviation into disaster response systems, tourism support, and rural connectivity, and Ghana risks falling behind if reforms are not accelerated.
He also proposed the gradual development of district-level airstrips, describing them as relatively low-cost infrastructure that could significantly improve emergency access, particularly in remote or flood-affected areas.
Dzakuma stressed that General Aviation should be treated as critical national infrastructure rather than a luxury service, especially as climate-related flooding events become more frequent and disruptive in Ghana.
