Author(s)

D.K. AHADZIE & D.G. PROVERBS

Abstract

Evidence of flooding in Ghana (then the Gold Coast) appears to date as far back as the year 1936. Since then flooding has become a recurring phenomenon causing the flooding of major Ghanaian cities and conurbations on an unprecedented scale. A review of the extant literature on flooding in developing countries reveals a dearth of research in the context of Africa and Ghana in particular. Using content analysis, the organizational and structural themes emerging from Ghanaian Newspapers with respect to the management of flooding in the last 10 years are identified, analyzed and reported. The findings reveal that the Ghanaian flood risk management strategy is currently in need of further development. It is contended that, with an increasing population and growth in human settlements, the worst effects of flooding might be ahead. This requires detailed analysis and policy direction towards developing and promoting a holistic risk management plan for flood recovery and response. This risk management plan should embody a robust and well-packaged educational programme towards raising awareness and understanding of safety measures one should adopt in the event of a flood.

Keywords

flood response, Ghana, risk management, safety awareness, well-packaged education, West Africa