The rains and attendant floods have arrived with alarming precision this June, against the illogical wish of some Accra residents that they will be spared that ordeal this year.
This year’s floods follow on last year’s almost exactly to the date, which killed over a hundred people and exposed the poor and dangerous structural development of the capital city.
Accra is finally waking up to the threat posed by irresponsible disregard of structural planning and the inadequate resourcing of appropriate government agencies to ensure adherence to the planned development of the nation’s most populous cosmopolitan settlement.
Many residents are still in shock.
Accra has always been flood-prone but its prevalence and severity had been a once-in-a-generation experience; now it is a regular occurrence after every downpour, heavy or not.
This is forcing the conversation to shift from the usual superficial political rhetoric to a more purposeful one on a pragmatic approach to development planning and the strict enforcement of laid down regulations.
It is now clear that freak floods have become rampant and are an everyday menace during the wet season.
Analysts note that this recent flood, despite some dredging of the Odaw river and the Korle lagoon, show a lack of coordination among the web of linkages, which go far beyond the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA).
The consensus is that it will take a coordinated and comprehensive effort among about 13 district assemblies, at least six regulatory agencies, and their controlling ministries to effectively address the challenge.
Rational solutions proffered; such as the demolition of houses and other structures that stand in major waterways, have become political rather than administrative simply because hundreds of buildings are involved, not just a couple.
That reality prompts questions as to why structures were permitted to be put up in such places, in the first place, and even if they weren’t officially approved why didn’t the regulatory agencies nip such developments in the bud?
Work by the Private Enterprises Federation (PEF) looking into the licensing and permitting regime in the country is instructive.
The PEF’s research study to establish all licensing and permit requirements affecting the efficiency of businesses in Ghana showed that, about a total of 145 or more business license or permit requirements were in force in Ghana and these affected businesses to varying degrees.
Importantly, the agencies that regulated the built environment.
Including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Town and Country Planning Department, and the Factories, Shops and Offices Inspectorate Department, among others, are all seriously challenged by finances and logistics that largely render them practically ineffective in the discharge of their mandates.
Instructively, the AMA indicated the absence of a uniform building/construction code indicating that there is an urgent need for the consolidation of all segregated laws, the amendment of old, outmoded laws, bye-laws and acts if the assembly is to be effective in ensuring sanity in the development of Accra’s built environment.
A uniformed building code across all districts, regions and cities which is backed by law is required since other regions seem to be exhibiting the same conditions prevailing in Accra, even if to a lesser degree.
The AMA is not the only agency bogged down by outdated laws; the Town and Country Planning Department (TCPD) complain about the obsolescence of the law on land and spatial planning. (cap 84, 1945) and laments that a Land Use and Spatial Planning Bill is still pending.
But the TCPD indicates that even with the old laws, there is a lack of public education on the laws and policies governing the operations of the TCPD and the application processes and procedures, especially the regulations on zoning and rezoning, so it could be preposterous to blame developers for a blatant disregard of regulations.
This, therefore, fosters the slapdash development typical of all the nation’s urban centres; but even if the agency wishes to do something about this, it is woefully understaffed – especially technical skills staff – to make a meaningful impact.
Additionally, almost all these agencies will do with some modernization.
It is a crying shame that in this day and age the TCPD lacks an electronic/internet platform that allows for the remote and decentralized filing and submission of applications.
These challenges, as starkly dark as they are, pale in comparison to the delays caused by arbitrary use of discretionary powers by MMCE’s and DCE’s at the approval committee levels in their respective jurisdictions.
To arrest this threat to our urban development, therefore, requires the political will to legally empower and also logistically enhance the capacities of the various regulatory agencies to be more effective in the execution of their obligations.
Arguably, the causes of the floods in Accra are attributable more to a political lethargy in addressing the challenge, rather than an administrative antipathy to doing right.
And worse will be to play the cultural card as it will be tantamount to blaming the victim, who is caught in a tidal wave beyond his or her understanding.
It is about time the political elite found a way of taking the bull by the horns as it increasingly is becoming obvious that public apprehension is on the rise and anger is increasingly shifting away from technocrats to the politicians, rightfully or wrongfully.
Source: Emmanuel Kwablah | businessworldghana.com