Former National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for Ngleshie Amanfrom, Alexander Ackuaku, has called for the prosecution of chiefs who unlawfully sell lands on waterways and Ramsar sites, arguing that holding them accountable is essential to addressing Ghana’s perennial flooding.

Speaking on TV XYZ, Ackuaku said authorities must focus on tackling the root causes of flooding rather than relying solely on emergency responses after disasters occur.

“We need to go back to the root causes of the flooding and make sure we uproot them to prevent future occurrences,” he said.

According to him, weak enforcement of environmental and planning laws has encouraged illegal developments in flood-prone areas.

“A greater cause of the floods is human attitude. We do not want to enforce the laws in this country, so people do whatever they like,” he stated.

Ackuaku argued that traditional leaders who knowingly sell lands designated as waterways or Ramsar sites should be held accountable under the law.

“Chiefs who sell lands at illegal sites should be arrested. If this is done, they will stop, and the government will not have to spend money demolishing buildings,” he said.

He maintained that strict enforcement against all persons involved in illegal land transactions would help protect the environment and reduce the country’s flood risk.