Former Greater Accra Regional Minister Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus Glover has called for stricter enforcement and tougher sanctions against individuals and public officials involved in illegal sand winning, warning that “state indiscipline” is a major driver of Ghana’s worsening flooding crisis.
He said the unchecked excavation of land, particularly along major roads and environmentally sensitive areas, is destroying natural landscapes that help regulate rainwater flow, thereby worsening the impact of heavy rainfall.
His comments come amid continued concerns over recurring floods in parts of the Greater Accra Region and other urban centres, with experts repeatedly linking the problem to poor land use practices, blocked drains and environmental degradation.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Big Issue, Mr Glover said illegal sand winning has left behind degraded lands and deep excavations that disrupt natural drainage systems and increase surface runoff into nearby communities.
He cited sections along the Weija–Bortianor corridor as areas severely affected by such activities, noting that some landscapes have been left dangerously destabilised through extensive excavation.
The former minister also questioned the role of city authorities in allowing such activities to persist, arguing that regulatory failures have significantly contributed to the problem. He called for a more aggressive enforcement approach, urging authorities to crack down on both offenders and officials who fail to enforce environmental laws.
“Where we have reached, there must be no excuse. People must be punished. Whoever is in office. The president must sit, must make sure that anybody who is making his work difficult and anybody who is not making the work to flow must be sanctioned,” he stated.
Mr Glover added that only strict enforcement, accountability and sustained monitoring of land use activities can help reduce environmental degradation and curb the rising incidence of flooding in urban areas.
