Flood Profile and Management Strategies in Ghana: Lessons from Disasters in the North and in Accra

Abstract

Flooding is becoming one of the most challenging environmental problems confronting Ghana and increasingly it has become difficult for the government to control, because certain activities are deeply ingrained in the socio-cultural and economic systems of the people. The effects of flooding on livelihoods and on the ecosystem in Ghana are extensive and damaging. As a result, the study sought to outline pre-disaster, disaster and post-disaster flooding strategies that would help residents to mitigate or prevent the occurrence of flooding in Ghana. Using a thematic analysis and desktop review, the study reviewed academic studies on flood disasters of 2007, 2010, 2015 and 2020 in Ghana. The results revealed that human induced factors account for the most incidence. Additionally, the social and economic effects were not found to be limited to victims alone but to the ecosystem as well. For policy makers then, the study recommends the integrated flood management approach such as the use of GIS & Remote Sensing techniques, as well as collaboration between and/among state agencies like National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMET), the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), and managers of the Bagre Dam to reduce the incidence and by extension, the impact of flooding in Ghana.