‘Stop sharing rice and mattresses, focus on flood prevention’ — Adomako Kissi to NADMO

Former Member of Parliament for Anyaa-Sowutuom, Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi, has called on the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to prioritise flood prevention over the distribution of relief items, arguing that the country’s disaster response must become more proactive.

His comments come in the wake of the heavy rains that triggered widespread flooding across parts of the Greater Accra Region, claiming lives, displacing residents, submerging homes and businesses, and sparking a fire outbreak in the Odawna area.

Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Tuesday, June 30, Dr. Adomako Kissi said NADMO has, over the years, been under-equipped to effectively carry out its mandate, stressing that successive governments have failed to adequately resource the agency.

“NADMO’s equipment levels are low, and it’s not an NDC government thing. Over the years, NADMO has not been well equipped. The Ghanaian NADMO, which is a disaster management authority, has largely been focused on giving out rice and mattresses, and I really think that the focus needs to change,” he said.

According to him, preventing disasters should receive the same level of attention as emergency relief, with greater investment in engineering expertise and flood mitigation measures.

“Prevention is also part of their mandate. They need appropriate engineers not party faithfuls who can work with the assemblies to identify high-risk flood areas and implement preventive measures before disasters occur,” he stated.

He further expressed concern about worsening traffic congestion caused by the flooding, particularly for commuters travelling into Accra, and urged authorities to engage companies whose activities may be obstructing waterways or contributing to flood risks.

Dr. Adomako Kissi also appealed to the Minister for Finance Cassiel Ato Forson to review budgetary allocations and reimbursements to NADMO to enable the agency to invest in long-term flood prevention measures.

His appeal comes as authorities continue to assess the impact of the latest floods, which have left several communities inundated, displaced numerous residents and heightened concerns over Ghana’s preparedness for extreme weather events.