The Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) has called for the strict enforcement of environmental sanitation laws and stronger national commitment to addressing the country’s recurring flooding, describing the crisis as a major development challenge that demands sustained action rather than seasonal interventions.
Speaking during the second edition of the Council’s Voice of CCG programme on Tuesday, July 14, General Secretary Rev. Dr. Cyril Fayose said although climate change has contributed to increasingly intense rainfall, many of the devastating floods experienced across the country are largely driven by human activities.
He cited indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drains, unauthorised construction on waterways and flood plains, weak enforcement of sanitation regulations, and poor maintenance of drainage infrastructure as key factors worsening the situation.
“The recent floods, like those witnessed in previous years, have once again reminded us of the enormous human, economic and environmental cost of neglecting our environment,” Rev. Dr. Fayose said.
He noted that families have lost loved ones, homes and businesses have been destroyed, public infrastructure has suffered extensive damage, and economic activity has been disrupted, adding that Ghana continues to spend significant financial resources responding to disasters that could have been prevented through responsible environmental management.
To address the challenge, the Christian Council presented an eight-point proposal to government. The recommendations include improving coordination of clean-up and desilting exercises with the immediate removal of excavated waste, integrating environmental stewardship and sanitation education into school curricula, promoting waste segregation, adequately resourcing the National Commission for Civic Education to intensify public education, and ensuring the consistent enforcement of environmental laws.
The Council also called for the removal of illegal structures on waterways and flood plains in accordance with the law, greater investment in modern covered drainage systems, and sustained national leadership to drive environmental responsibility.
Rev. Dr. Fayose further urged Ghanaians to make environmental cleanliness a daily habit rather than an occasional campaign, stressing that every household, school, church, mosque, market, workplace and community has a role to play in protecting lives and safeguarding the environment.
He described environmental stewardship as both a civic responsibility and a biblical mandate, calling on government institutions, traditional authorities, faith-based organisations, civil society groups, the private sector and citizens to work together in the fight against flooding.
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