Evaluating Post-Flood Disaster Response Strategies in Ashaiman and Agona Swedru

Abstract

Highly concentrated urban areas have experienced many floods over the last decades. There has been significant increase in the trend of extreme rainfall events, in the face of a lack of effective flood management systems. Though rainfall in Ghana has been decreasing since the 1970’s, and the government has initiated many disaster reduction interventions, incidences of flooding have ironically continued to increase. The study explores the post-flood disaster response mechanisms, effectiveness and dynamics in Ghana using the June 2010 flood incidences in Ashaiman and Agona Swedru as case study. This is undertaken through both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The study reveals that the interest and commitment of the institutions as well the public in undertaking flood risk reduction activities have waned with time. This is explained in an Activity Level Decline Model. Response operations should emphasise highly on preventive measures that would appreciably mitigate flood risk factors and make the communities safe from floods. This would, however, need the total commitment of all actors concerned with disaster risk management. In the long term, interest should be focused on activities such as local community outreach using the community, the churches and other religious organisations as the platform for the campaigns. More significantly, inter-organisational platforms and forums should be annually organised through which information and ideas on effective disaster prevention, preparedness, response and recovery activities could be exchanged, and orientations of concerned stakeholders properly shaped to reflect more of prevention and mitigation initiatives.