A Local Governance Expert, Mr. Amon Kotei, has intimated that government is not ready to tackle the recurring flood issue in the country.
Speaking on the effects of these floods, citing the recent floods in Accra, Mr. Kotei lamented that no government is ready to pump about a million dollars or over, to cater for the problem. “Nobody is ready to do that but everybody is ready to do lip service.”
Mr Amon Kotei averred that citizens have to deal with the flood situation themselves because they partly contributed to it by situating their buildings anyhow in the various areas “and nobody is ready to talk about it”. He added that there is nothing citizens can do to ensure that these flood after the rains do not keep recurring year after year.
“Mr. President is not ready, the ministers are not ready and the finance minister is not ready to release funds because he himself hasn’t got the funds. So, when it happens, we cry and bring NADMO and soldiers to assist. We get rid of the matter and we await another one; so, it has become a ritual.”
Amon Kotei
The Governance expert noted that the central government also does not have the political will to make any decision when it comes to resolving these flood issue.
Geographical and human-made problems cause floods
Touching on what hampers the efforts to ensure that when the rains come, it will not affect things, Mr. Amon Kotei indicated that beside the geographical features and its problems, there is the case of the human-made problems.
According to Mr. Kotei, the geopraphical features make it difficult to prevent flooding because looking at the sea and the land structure of Accra, some parts are below the sea level.
“The chain mountains from the Shai hills area cutting across to Nsawam area and beyond that enclave, its also beyond the chain mounts thus water from these areas move down to Accra.”
Amon Kotei
Explaining how the human-made problems cause these floods, he posited that development within Accra creates a situation where the channel for free flow of water is blocked in every way, hence the floods.
“We know that we have about four huge water basins; the Sakumono basins that is between La up to Nungua area, the Lafa basin that is Dansoman and its areas and then the Densu basin that is coming from the Ga West area through Dome and into the sea but we have used human activities to create some blockage and besides that, we have decided to block channels by building any how. So at the end, you’re going to have flooding, it’s simple.”
Amon Kotei
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) has disclosed that no lives has been lost yet to the floods but properties have been destroyed.
According to the Communications Director of NADMO, George Ayisi, its initial report shows that most of the flooding that occurred on Saturday 21st May, 2022 in Accra was flush flooding which is caused by blockage in the waterways and drainage systems.
As such, Mr. Ayisi suggested that bringing into force a Legislative Instrument to compel developers to secure Disaster Clearance Certificate before putting up buildings will help curb the flooding in Accra. He stated that it falls within the remit of the Ministry of Works and Housing to ensure that proper drainages are constructed and there is continuous dredging and desilting of drains all year.
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