“We are doing the best we can” — NADMO responds to flood criticism

Ghana’s disaster management agency has defended its response to recent floods in Accra, saying it is doing its best despite limited resources and constraints in its mandate.

Richard Amo Yartey, Director of Inspectorate at the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), said the agency’s primary role is not flood prevention but public preparedness and emergency response.

“Flood control is the responsibility of other agencies… our mandate is to prepare citizens and reduce the impact on lives,” he said on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Monday (8 June).

He acknowledged that more could be done but stressed that effective prevention depends on coordinated action across multiple institutions, including the Hydrological Authority and local assemblies.

NADMO received “a lot of distress calls” during the recent downpours, though many situations did not require rescue operations.

“In some cases, people were not trapped. They just needed guidance on how to stay safe,” Amo Yartey explained.

He revealed that emergency teams had also been dealing with building collapses and fires alongside flooding, describing the past few days as “stressful.”

The agency is now pushing to improve early warning systems and public communication, including the rollout of an AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot for reporting emergencies.

Amo Yartey also confirmed that authorities are working with assemblies to remove illegal structures obstructing waterways, following a directive from the sector minister.