The Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, has backed former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s call for the government to consider declaring a state of emergency in flood-affected areas, arguing that the scale of the recent disaster warrants exceptional measures.
According to the lawmaker, the devastating floods that swept through parts of the country have created an unprecedented situation that should not be treated as a routine emergency.
Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, Mr Awuah said Dr Bawumia’s proposal was based on the severity of the destruction and deserved careful consideration rather than outright dismissal.
“I don’t think it is far-fetched. Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is speaking from a place of justification, and for me, I think that is something worth giving deep thought to,” he said.
The Vice Chairman of Parliament’s Subsidiary Legislation Committee argued that although Ghana has experienced flooding under previous administrations, the latest disaster stands out because of its scale and impact.
Responding to suggestions that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) did not advocate a state of emergency during flood disasters under the Akufo-Addo administration, Mr Awuah maintained that the current situation is significantly different.
“There have been people who died during flooding in Akufo-Addo’s time, without a doubt. But in terms of magnitude, have you seen this happen in the last eight years that President Akufo-Addo and Dr Bawumia were in government? You’ve never seen this before, have you?
“Apart from the June 3 disaster that killed over 150 people, have you seen this magnitude of disaster resulting from flooding in this country before? It’s never happened,” he stated.
Mr Awuah further argued that, with authorities still assessing the full extent of the destruction and forecasts indicating the possibility of more heavy rainfall, government should consider stronger emergency measures to improve coordination and protect vulnerable communities.
“And we are yet to see the scale of devastation that has been experienced as a result of this disaster. Don’t you think there should be a state of emergency declared for us to first assess the scale of devastation and then manage the situation going forward, particularly because of the forecast of more rain?” he asked.
To support his position, the Manhyia South MP pointed to the rare public advisory issued by the Interior Minister on the day of the floods, urging residents to remain indoors.
According to him, such a directive reflected the seriousness of the situation and reinforced the need for extraordinary interventions.
“Remember, the Minister for the Interior issued a statement asking people to stay indoors. When was the last time you had a Minister for the Interior issue such a statement? When you put all these things together, clearly Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is speaking from a place of justification,” he argued.
The comments come after former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia urged the Mahama administration to consider declaring a state of emergency in flood-hit areas if forecasts from the Ghana Meteorological Agency indicate further heavy rainfall.
Dr Bawumia said such a declaration would enable the government to mobilise resources more effectively, improve coordination among emergency response agencies and implement urgent measures to safeguard lives and property as the country continues to deal with the aftermath of the deadly floods.
