Gov’t. To Fix Flooding Permanently

The rainy season has begun in some parts of the country and as it spreads quickly to other areas, anxious stakeholders and concerned agencies are tightening the management of the country’s drainage systems, in order to mitigate the impact of flooding, this year.

As part of plans to secure lives and properties in the coming season, the Minister for Works and Housing, Mr Samuel Atta Akyea has called on the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to demolish structures built on water ways without proper documentation.

The minister made this call when he visited some drains in Accra, to inspect some intervening works being undertaken ahead of the raining season.

According to him, it is time for authorities to deal ruthlessly with some of the issues facing sanitation and the building of structures on water ways.

“If we don’t do that, I don’t see how this nation would have the prosperity we need. If we are strong in lawlessness and impunity, these things should not go forward. I believe in the bulldozer principle.

“It doesn’t sit well with the sanity of a nation for a man to be consciously aware that this is a no-go area but nevertheless we go and erect a structure which would stand in the way of water,” Mr Atta Akyea argued.

The Minister, together with some key officials of the AMA, inspected some drains in Accra to ensure that in the interim, they are in good conditions as the drains set in.

These drains include Nima, Odawna, Adabraka, Korley, Shukura, Kaneshie First light and Sakamaan drains.

A Permanent Fix

Meanwhile, Mr Atta Akyea says government is dedicated to permanently fixing the poor drainage systems adding that, the World Bank is releasing some $100 million loan to fix the Odawna drain.

He acknowledged that though the projects would be costly, government would nonetheless mobilise the needed funds to solve the challenges.

He indicated that the nation would be opened to world class engineers who would work with local professionals to solve the problem.

“If we wanted a very long-lasting sewage system in Accra and by extension the whole country, the capital outlay is frightening.

“Every year, huge sums of money are allocated for interim solutions in the budget such as de-silting, which is currently ongoing. But such solutions have proven not to be feasible, considering the enormity of the problem and so the government has taken the bold decision to implement a long-term solution,” he said.

By: Grace Ablewor Sogbey/ [email protected]