ECG and 9 state institutions failed to pay over ¢3bn in taxes in 2024, driving record ¢5.2bn irregularities – Auditor-General

July 7, 2026

• Gifty Nyarko, President of the Local Government Service Association of Physical Planners, accuses MMDAs of prioritizing revenue from building permits over effective planning.
• This focus on revenue is weakening enforcement of building regulations, leading to uncontrolled urban development.
• The situation contributes to severe issues like flooding, encroachment on waterways, and unauthorized construction in environmentally sensitive areas.
• Nyarko holds assemblies responsible for weak enforcement, noting their sole authority in approving physical developments and issuing permits.
• She advocates for a change in approach, urging local authorities to prioritize proper planning, strict enforcement, and public safety for sustainable urban development.

July 7, 2026

• The Netherlands, despite being a low-lying country highly vulnerable to flooding, has become safe and prosperous due to centuries of proactive, integrated water management.
• Ghana, with more favourable geography, experiences more frequent and destructive flooding due to a lack of preparation and treating water management as a reactive rather than a permanent national priority.
• The key lesson for Ghana is to embed flood resilience into all aspects of national planning, including designing infrastructure with drainage in mind, considering flood risk in housing, and protecting critical systems.
• This requires enforcing planning laws, empowering local assemblies, preserving natural floodplains, updating drainage systems for modern rainfall patterns, and citizens avoiding indiscriminate dumping.
• Climate change intensifies the urgency, making proactive water management a critical national priority for Ghana to mitigate rising sea levels and extreme rainfall, ultimately being less costly than disaster recovery.

July 7, 2026

• The Convention People's Party (CPP) has offered its youth wing to assist government efforts in flood prevention, including dredging and waste removal.
• The party proposed forming a bipartisan committee with NDC and NPP representatives to coordinate flood relief for victims in a transparent manner.
• CPP expressed concern over large volumes of uncollected waste clogging gutters and drainage channels, exacerbating flood risks.
• They called for urgent measures to prevent further flooding, noting Ghana is in its peak rainy season and past disasters were avoidable.
• The CPP appealed to Ghanaians to volunteer in community clean-up activities to improve water flow and prevent obstructions.