Laboma Beach covered in plastic waste after Accra floods
via GhanaWeb1 min read
Laboma Beach in Accra has been inundated with plastic waste and debris following recent heavy rains and floods. Floodwaters carried large quantities of discarded plastic bottles, sachet water wrappers, food containers, and polythene bags onto the popular recreational beach. This incident highlights ongoing concerns about pollution, inadequate waste management, and the environmental impact of flooding in the capital. The floods, caused by torrential rainfall, overwhelmed drains and waterways, transporting improperly disposed waste into streams, lagoons, and ultimately the Atlantic Ocean, where it accumulated on beaches like Laboma. Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak reported that the floods affected 38,802 people across 18 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, resulting in 12 fatalities, seven missing persons, and the displacement of 7,761 households.
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Former Works and Housing Minister Francis Asenso Boakye stated that flooding in Ghana is a national failure requiring urgent enforcement of planning laws, increased drainage investment, and sustained political will. Speaking in Parliament on June 30, 2026, he noted that despite knowing the root causes of perennial floods, the country has failed to address the issue. The Member of Parliament for Bantama emphasized that flooding should not be a partisan debate, as it is one of Ghana's most persistent national challenges, affecting life, infrastructure, and economic activity. He identified inadequate drainage infrastructure, weak enforcement of planning laws, poor waste management, rapid urbanization, and the growing impacts of climate change as key causes. Asenso-Boakye expressed concern that interventions have reportedly slowed or stalled, stressing that a concerted effort from the government, local authorities, and all stakeholders is needed to significantly reduce the flooding crisis.