AMA Designates Safe Havens for Flood Victims

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has said it is coordinating with the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to evacuate flood victims to save havens.

The local authorities had on Wednesday via a communique declared some 10 suburbs of the Metropolis as flood prone zones while designating 14 safe havens for the respective areas.

Speaking on Citi FM, yesterday, the Head of Public Affairs at the assembly, Mr Gilbert Nii Ankrah, stressed that the step must not be seen as the assembly’s failure to address the recurrent flooding problem.

“What we are doing as an assembly to ensure that when the water comes we would be able to receive it is what we have done in relation to the desilting of the drains. But it is also important for people to know that these areas are flood prone areas not because the assembly did not do its work but these are realities and in the events of flooding, we are telling people to move to these higher grounds and it is not to confirm that we cannot handle the situation,” he said.

Mr Ankrah added that NADMO is aware of the areas and are working diligently to ensure that people would be evacuated before the next downpour.

Safe Havens

In Laterbiokorshie, four safe havens have been earmarked. They include the Salvation Cluster of Schools, Presbyterian Vocational School, Town Council line park and the Bishop Bowers School.

Other havens are in the Independence Square in Osu; the cable and wireless park, Bubuashie; Wesley Grammar School, South Odorkor and Ministry of Health School, Indafa park at Korle-bu.

The rest are at Ayaalolo Cluster of Schools, Arena; University of Ghana; Carl Randorf Park and Ebenezer Senior High School, Dansoman; Roman Catholic School park, Mataheko and the Ernest Bruce Memorial Church, Adabaraka.

Mr Ankrah indicated that these safe havens were indeed safe since they are all on higher ground.

According to him, the assembly had collaborated with NADMO extensively to ensure that the safe havens are made available for victims.

Meanwhile, over 10 people have been confirmed dead while some remain missing after Tuesday’s heavy rains.

Amongst those dead is a female medical doctor, identified as Aya Oppong who was washed away by the flood waters at the Teshie Demo Bridge while she was driving home with two others in a Hyundai Accent saloon car.

By: Grace Ablewor Sogbey/ [email protected]