Ing Abdulai Mahama, a civil engineer, has disclosed that it is likely the Greater Accra Region may not be able to contain anymore flooding in coming years due to recklessness on the part of local assemblies in the country.
Following the flooding at Oyarifa Green Hills, resulting in residents being trapped in their homes by floodwaters for several days, Ing Mahama called on local assemblies to implement laws to discourage unscrupulous persons from tampering with land demarcations.
According to him, the responsibility doesn’t solely lie on government but begins with the assembly to ensure that real estate companies and other agencies abide by the rules of the assembly.
Ing. Mahama explained that the flooding occurrences will possibly occur regardless of “expansion of culverts [and] storm drains” in Accra.
“I’m so abreast with information within the Accra enclave and I take it upon myself with any opportunity I get… to keep on hammering about what the assemblies ought to start doing; because the assembly is part of government. It is so painful with all the powers that they have, they want to go to the central government. The central government has a budget and they will handle their budget as and when they have the money. But the local assembly ought to start to work and be counted. Otherwise, in the next three, four, five years again, Accra cannot contain the flood waters that will come, no matter what happens in Accra or the expansion of the drainages”.
Ing Abdulai Mahama
Buttressing his point, Ing Mahama stressed that before governments come in to “handle the huge ones”, the assembly must play its part.
“I know the challenge involved in government trying to get so much money to construct roads within the districts and across the country. But if the assemblies decide to go to the back and oversee to such kind of reckless constructions, the roads will not yield any positive results”.
ng Abdulai Mahama
Dealing with indiscipline in the country
Touching on the Oyarifa incident, Ing Mahama revealed that he was part of the people who constructed the Oyarifa stretch from 2004 to 2007. He noted that the springing up of estates on stretches along the road and growth of developers “without recourse to the law” has occasioned the flooding in the area.
Government, according to Ing Mahama, must “refocus” to handle the mess being created by individuals and corporate bodies. He indicated that if the situation is not properly handled, flooding and issues which accompanies perennial flooding will worsen.
“Ironically, the MCE and the MP are now crying foul. I’m so disappointed hearing the MCE making comments like ‘laughable’. And I’m a bit disappointed in the lawmaker also trying to initiate a demonstration. Why? The assembly has power under the land use and special planning Act 2016. They also have the power under the building regulation LI 1996 16 (30). Now, these laws give the assembly the power to… stop any development happening within that corridor. Oyarifa is a fairly flat area and what I pre-empted about ten years ago is now meeting us in the face. So, if the assemblies now, headed by an MCE decides to say that its laughable that the people are ranting through their MP, then the least said about that statement the better”.
ng Abdulai Mahama
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