Kingsley Agyemang Calls For Dedicated Fund To Tackle Africa’s Flood Risk
The Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South, Dr Kingsley Agyemang, has advocated for dedicated funds to help manage floods in Africa. He called on African governments to establish what he termed legally protected disaster risk management funds to help countries prepare for and respond to devastating floods. In an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation’s […] The post Kingsley Agyemang…
Dr Kingsley Agyemang, a Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South, has urged African nations to establish dedicated funds to combat the continent's growing flood risks. In an interview with the BBC's Focus on Africa, the insurance and risk management expert called for legally protected funds to safeguard against devastating floods.
Agyemang outlined an integrated funding model that would harness resources from government budgets, mineral revenues, corporate taxes, levies, and development partners. This approach would enable countries to build financial reserves and invest in prevention, preparedness, and resilience. Despite having early warning systems, many African nations lack the financial resources and coordination to respond effectively to early warnings.
Agyemang emphasized that flood disasters are becoming a persistent threat to lives, infrastructure, and economic activity. He urged African leaders to act urgently, warning that flood risks are not going away. A legal framework and ring-fencing of the funds would be crucial to prevent diversion and ensure sustainability. The MP's proposal comes in the wake of severe flooding in parts of West Africa, including Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, where at least 12 people were reported dead and thousands of households were affected.
Dr Agyemang believes that a proactive approach is necessary, rather than relying on emergency donations after disasters strike. He cited flood risk-pooling mechanisms in the UK and US as potential models for African countries to emulate, emphasizing that such systems should be seen as economic investments and not just contingency measures.
Written by urgent.news from The Chronicle Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
