Managing Editor of The Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has criticised President John Dramani Mahama‘s aerial inspection of flood-affected communities following the devastating June 29, 2026, floods, arguing that the exercise was unlikely to produce practical solutions to Ghana’s perennial flooding problem.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana on July 1, Pratt acknowledged the President’s concern for flood victims but maintained that inspecting the affected areas from a helicopter was not the most effective way to assess the situation.
According to him, a more meaningful approach would have been for the President to visit the affected communities on the ground, interact directly with victims and gain firsthand insight into their experiences.
“Yesterday, or two days ago, the President decided to go on a helicopter trip around the flooded areas to assess the damage. Now, I know the President to be a historian and a journalist. His trip is not likely to produce a scientific outcome. This helicopter trip is not likely to produce a scientific outcome for the problems that the people of this country are confronted with,” Pratt said.
He argued that while the aerial tour may have offered a broad view of the destruction, it could not substitute for detailed assessments needed to address the country’s recurring flooding challenges.
Pratt further questioned the optics of the President surveying devastated communities from the air while residents struggled with the aftermath of the disaster.
“I don’t think that the aesthetics are good enough in a situation where you have this massive flooding, and your leaders are in helicopters flying over you,” he added.
His comments come after President Mahama undertook a helicopter tour of flood-hit areas in Accra following torrential rains that caused widespread flooding between June 28 and June 29, 2026.
Footage from the inspection showed the President observing submerged homes, roads, businesses and transport terminals in areas including Circle and Weija.
During the flight, Mahama was also seen pointing out structures he believed were obstructing the natural flow of floodwaters and would need to be removed as part of efforts to reduce future flooding.
The President was accompanied by the Minister for Works and Housing, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, the Director-General of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Dr Joseph Bikanyi Kuyon, and Deputy Chief of Staff Stan Dogbe, who also chairs the government’s Anti-Flood Taskforce.
