Weija Traditional Leaders Back Demolition of Structures on Waterways to Curb Flooding
For decades, Greater Accra has endured a familiar and devastating cycle: the rains come, the waters rise, homes flood, lives are disrupted, and officials promise action that rarely materialises. This week, a coalition of traditional authorities in Weija broke from the pattern of passive observation by publicly endorsing the government’s demolition of structures built on waterways — and taking their own steps to address the crisis.
The Chief of Lafa Barimba, Nii Ayi Okoforobour, together with other traditional leaders in the Weija area, declared their support for the removal of illegal structures blocking natural drainage channels. Their endorsement is significant not merely as a political gesture but as a practical acknowledgement that unregulated construction on flood-prone land has become one of the primary drivers of the flooding that plagues the capital’s western suburbs.
Speaking to the media, Nii Ayi Okoforobour offered a pointed correction to a widespread misconception. The Weija Ramsar Site, he stressed, is not the cause of flooding in the area. The real culprit is the systematic illegal reclamation and filling of wetlands for residential and commercial development. As developers fill in low-lying marshland and erect buildings on natural drainage paths, they effectively dam the channels that would otherwise carry rainwater safely to the sea.
The distinction matters. Blaming the Ramsar Site — a protected wetland ecosystem — for flooding risks creating public pressure to further develop or degrade the very areas that serve as natural flood buffers. By redirecting attention to illegal reclamation, the traditional authorities are making a scientifically sound argument: the wetlands are part of the solution, not the problem.
As part of local interventions, the traditional authorities have also undertaken dredging works on the Lafa River within the Weija Ramsar Site. The dredging is designed to improve water flow and reduce the risk of the river overflowing its banks during heavy rains. It is the kind of localised, community-driven action that has often been missing from Accra’s flood management strategy.
Nii Ayi Okoforobour called for strict enforcement against individuals and developers who encroach on wetlands and drainage channels, arguing that without consequences, the problem will only worsen as Accra continues to expand. His position reflects a growing frustration among community leaders who have watched their neighbourhoods flood year after year while enforcement agencies look the other way.
The Deputy Greater Accra Regional Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Nana Adubea, has outlined plans for a structured and coordinated demolition exercise designed to minimise risks and protect lives and property. The promise of a measured approach is welcome, though residents will be watching closely to see whether the exercise delivers results or becomes another round of selective enforcement that targets the vulnerable while leaving politically connected developers untouched.
Accra’s flooding problem is not new, and its causes are well documented: poor urban planning, the absence of effective drainage infrastructure, construction on waterways and wetlands, and chronic under-enforcement of building regulations. What is notable about the Weija intervention is the alignment between traditional leadership and government policy. When local authorities and community leaders pull in the same direction, the chances of sustained action improve considerably.
The challenge now is to extend this approach beyond Weija. Across Greater Accra — from Achimota to Tema, from Adenta to Kasoa — the same pattern of illegal construction on drainage channels repeats itself. A coordinated, region-wide effort to reclaim waterways and enforce building codes would do more to reduce flooding than any number of post-disaster relief distributions.
Image Source: MYJOYONLINE
