The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has revealed that preliminary findings from an ongoing Urban Heat Vulnerability Assessment show a sharp rise in land surface temperatures across the city over the past three decades, leaving several communities at significantly heightened risk.
The study led by Prof. Richard Amfo-Otu of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development under the Partnership for Healthy Cities Urban Heat Project, funded by Vital Strategies, indicated that extreme heat concentrations were intensifying in communities such as James Town, Chorkor, Agbogbloshie, Old Fadama, Kaneshie, Mamprobi and sections of the Industrial Area with vulnerable groups including older adults, children, informal workers, vendors, transport operators and low-income households disproportionately affected by the rising temperatures.
Speaking on the findings, the Mayor of Accra, Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey, said the Assembly was committed to using the evidence to strengthen preparedness and safeguard residents, adding that the research aligned with the city’s broader vision of developing a healthier and more climate-resilient Accra.
The findings, he said, would guide major reforms, including updates to the building code, expanded urban greening, improved infrastructure in markets and lorry stations, enhanced early heat warning systems and intensified community awareness on heat-related risks.
