Accra floods demand urgent shift in how Ghanaians treat environment, warns Okyenhene

Environmental wake-up call as flooding persists

The Okyenhene Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin has warned that Accra's recent flooding reflects a deeper crisis: Ghanaians' damaging relationship with the natural environment. Speaking at the 2026 Kyebi Ohum Festival, he stressed that whilst poor planning and weak infrastructure are serious challenges, human behaviour remains the primary threat to environmental protection.

The traditional leader pointed to indiscriminate dumping in drains, illegal construction on waterways, river pollution, and ecosystem destruction as major contributors to Ghana's recurring environmental disasters. He emphasised that nature responds proportionally to how it is treated, urging citizens to reconnect with traditional values that protected the environment.

Reviving traditional environmental wisdom

Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin noted that pre-colonial customs actively discouraged littering and regulated river use on specific days, yet these protections have been abandoned. "Because of indiscipline, people are devastating the environment with impunity," he stated, calling for a national attitude shift.

Addressing wider social concerns

The Okyenhene also raised alarm over drug and substance abuse among young people, urging the Ghana Police Service and local assemblies to enforce laws against selling alcohol and tobacco to minors. He warned that tramadol and other substances mixed with alcohol are fuelling youth crime and theft, threatening the next generation's future.

On infrastructure, he criticised contractors abandoning road projects after receiving mobilisation funds, citing the delayed Ofankor-Nsawam road as an example of how poor project management harms citizens. He also reaffirmed the territorial integrity of Okyeman against any breakaway claims, stating firmly: "Nobody conquered Okyeman, and nobody can conquer Okyeman."