Professor Isaac Boateng calls for local drainage research in Ghana

Professor Isaac Boateng, a coastal engineering and climate adaptation specialist at the University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (USTED), has called for increased investment in research for sustainable drainage solutions tailored to Ghana's specific environment.

Speaking at a workshop focused on teaching Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) in Ghanaian technical and higher education institutions, Boateng urged the Ghana Research Fund to fund studies that identify effective local interventions. He also requested additional support from the British Council to address emerging challenges.

Boateng emphasized that while international expertise, such as lessons from the United Kingdom, can be valuable, designs must be adapted to local realities including rainfall patterns, soil conditions, available materials, and land constraints. He noted that factors such as rapid urbanization, changing rainfall, and blocked drains exacerbate flooding, and argued that stormwater should be managed as a resource rather than waste.