By Lawrence Williams

President John Dramani Mahama has authorized the release of GH¢300 million (about $26.73m) from a national contingency fund to support emergency relief and flood mitigation after torrential rains swept through Accra on Monday, killing at least 12 people and displacing more than 38,000 others in what has been described as one of the city’s worst flooding disasters in recent years.

Government spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu said GH¢150 million will be used to provide immediate assistance to affected communities, while the remaining GH¢150 million will finance measures to reduce future flooding.

President Mahama said that rainfall intensity has increased due to climate change, but also blamed poor sanitation, indiscriminate waste disposal and unauthorized construction in flood-prone areas for exacerbating the crisis.

“The data is clear: climate change is significantly increasing the volume of rainfall we receive annually,” President Mahama said, citing figures from the Ghana Meteorological Agency.

According to the data, Accra recorded 85 millimeters of rainfall in June 2024. That increased to 172 millimeters in June 2025 before reaching 333 millimeters during the same period this year.

“We must also address the human and engineering factors,” the president said. “We cannot allow the blockage of natural streams that flow from the Akwapim Range to the Atlantic Ocean.”

The president has also directed authorities to demolish illegal structures obstructing waterways, saying the consequences of failing to act would be far more devastating for the public.