Project Snapshot
Evaluating Policy Response and Community Resilience in Post-Flood Mepe
- Location
- Mepe, North Tongu District, Volta Region
- Project Name
- Policy Assessment on the Mepe Disaster and Long-Term Community Recovery
- Core Focus
- Disaster Management, Urban Planning, and Social Protection Policy Reform
The Challenge
The Akosombo Dam Spillage and Systemic Gaps
In October 2023, the controlled release of water from Ghana's Akosombo Dam caused catastrophic flooding in low-lying areas along the Volta River, severely impacting communities like Mepe, Battor, and Sogakope. Over 26,000 people were displaced, losing homes, property, and primary livelihoods.
The disaster laid bare critical structural vulnerabilities across the region. Floodwaters submerged sanitary facilities, triggering widespread water contamination and increasing public health risks. Furthermore, low-lying school infrastructure was destroyed—with functional schools forced to serve as temporary shelters for displaced residents—disrupting the academic calendar and severely impacting the mental health of students and teachers. While immediate relief was provided by local indigenes and NGOs, severe logistical constraints, funding shortages, and poor inter-agency coordination hindered long-term recovery efforts.
The EPL Solution
Rigorous Policy Assessment and Advocacy
To move beyond short-term relief, Cohort 5 Fellows embarked on an intensive immersion excursion to Mepe from April 23–25, 2024. Collaborating closely with the Volta Regional Coordinating Council, the North Tongu District Assembly, and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Fellows evaluated existing national policies—including the National Water Policy (2007), the Urban Policy Framework (2015), the Ghana NADMO Act (2016), and the Ghana National Social Protection Policy (2015).
Employing a mixed-methods qualitative and quantitative approach, Fellows conducted in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with key policymakers (Town and Country Planning, Community Water and Sanitation Agency, Department of Social Welfare, Ghana Education Service) and community members (youth aged 15–24, traditional authorities, religious leaders, and assemblymen).
Core Program Activities
- 01
Multi-Sectoral Stakeholder Engagements
Conducted structured interviews with regional directors, district chief executives, NADMO officials, and social welfare officers to identify institutional coordination bottlenecks.
- 02
Community Focus Groups & Observations
Engaged young people, adults, and traditional leaders in qualitative discussions to capture lived experiences of the disaster, evacuation challenges, and livelihood losses.
- 03
Policy Benchmark & Gap Analysis
Assessed current implementation realities against national legal frameworks to identify severe bottlenecks in land tenure, emergency preparedness, and sanitation management.
- 04
Educational & Institutional Support
Evaluated the disruption of basic schools acting as safe havens and assessed interim measures implemented by the Ministry of Education to restore schooling.
Beneficiary Voice & Stakeholder Perspective
“There is a big problem with land when it comes to who owns it and how it's managed. Everyone has their own land, and families have lands they want to protect. If you try to make a plan for the land, it's tough until you get everyone to agree... There should be a plan that tells people how to build their homes and where, but when I inquired I found there were no plan or Spatial Development Framework in place...”
Ensuring Long-Term Sustainability & Resilience
To ensure the findings drive permanent systemic change, Cohort 5 documented their findings into policy briefs aimed at bridging the gap between high-level legislative intent and ground-level execution. Key recommendations for sustainable resilience include:
- 01
Strengthening Early Warning & Inter-Agency Coordination
Establishing clear, multidisciplinary operational protocols between NADMO, the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA), and meteorological agencies.
- 02
Enforcing Sustainable Urban Planning
Reforming family-owned land tenure challenges through public education on Ghana's Land Act and restricting construction in flood-prone waterways.
- 03
Holistic Recovery & Social Protection
Expanding permanent housing solutions through public-private partnerships, institutionalizing continuous mental health support for schools, and diversifying NADMO's revenue streams for rapid logistical deployment.