President John Dramani Mahama has directed the immediate release of GH₵ 300 million from the Contingency Fund to finance emergency flood relief and longer-term mitigation measures following the widespread flooding that disrupted businesses, transport networks, and communities across Accra and parts of southern Ghana.
Under the directive, GH₵ 150 million has been earmarked for urgent relief assistance to flood-affected persons and communities. At the same time, the remaining GH₵ 150 million will fund flood mitigation interventions aimed at reducing future flooding incidents, according to a statement from the Presidency.
The funding announcement comes after hours of heavy rainfall inundated large sections of the capital on Monday, submerging roads, damaging homes and commercial properties, disrupting economic activity and prompting large-scale rescue operations. Authorities have confirmed multiple fatalities, while businesses, markets and critical infrastructure suffered extensive damage.
The Presidency stated that the allocation forms part of the government’s response to flooding that affected Accra and other southern communities after “unusually heavy rainfall.”
The President has also “directed the deployment of personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces and Police to work with NADMO and other security services in the rescue and relief operations currently underway across the city”.
The President earlier conducted an aerial assessment of the affected areas before announcing what the Presidency described as a series of measures to “safeguard residents” and prevent further flooding.
The latest allocation adds to a broader package of interventions announced following the disaster, including plans to remove structures obstructing major drainage channels, clear debris from waterways and strengthen engineering measures to improve stormwater flow.
The emergency expenditure, however, also highlights the high fiscal cost of responding to disasters that experts have repeatedly warned could be mitigated through sustained investment in drainage infrastructure, enforcement of development controls and proactive flood management.
For years, engineers, urban planners and environmental specialists have advocated expanded drainage capacity, regular desilting of waterways and stricter protection of wetlands, warning that delayed interventions would result in mounting economic losses during each rainy season.
Monday’s floods once again disrupted commercial activity across the Greater Accra Region, with transport networks cut off, electricity supply temporarily interrupted in some areas for safety reasons and businesses forced to suspend operations as floodwaters engulfed key economic corridors.
