Residents in Dawhenya in the Ningo-Prampram Constituency in Greater Accra have been hit by a devastating flood occasioned by the spillage of the Dawhenya irrigation dam.

According to media reports about 600 people have been displaced while several livelihoods in the Dawhenya community have been destroyed due to the devastating nature of the flood.

While it is not yet known what exactly caused the devastating flood following the spillage of the irrigation dam, it is obvious the flood occurred as a result of gross negligence on the part of the management of the dam and sheer indiscipline on the part of the residents in the Dawhenya community.

The Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram Constituency, Honorable Samuel Nartey Goerge has expressed his displeasure at what he described as the unauthorized spillage of the irrigation dam in Dawhenya.

He chastised those responsible for the management of the irrigation dam for acting out of negligence and without precautions.

“We need to call a spade a spade. There are natural causes, but it’s been exacerbated by the decisions and inactions of people, and the indiscipline in our community, and we have people paying the price for it. Over 600 people were displaced, and properties running into millions were destroyed. People have worked all their lives in Accra, bought lands here and built with their retirement, and it’s all gone. Because someone is sleeping on his job. We need to have a proper investigation into this. How can a scheme manager sell state land to a foreigner? This is unacceptable in our country.”
Samuel Nartey George

Dawhenya Flood 2 — Some Volunteers Rescuing Children Trapped as a result of the Flood

Moreover, the Ningo-Prampram legislator lamented the growing indiscipline on the part of residents within the community and stated that the devastating nature of the flood is partly a result of the complete disregard for danger and building in waterways by some residents in the area.

“It’s obvious that there has been an increase in rainfall from upstream, which is mounting waves, and that water has found its way into the dam. The dam has an automatic spillway that allows water to be spilt at a certain level. Once the water gets to a certain level, it spills itself. You were there when we did the rescue of a woman and her children who have been stuck there for 24 hours.
“That house is sitting right in the middle of the stream. Who do we hold responsible for that? Buildings in the middle of the stream. In the stream, we saw land for sale. If we are so indisciplined as a people to bring some of these things. Look at where we are standing right now, and an individual chooses to build a hotel on the runway for water. He has blocked it, and that is what has created the dam here. What has the assembly been doing?”
Samuel Nartey George

This unfortunate incident comes after nearly two months that communities and residents within the Lower banks of the Volta Lake were displaced and several livelihoods worth billions of Ghana Cedis were destroyed following flood resulting from the spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong dams’ by the Volta River Authority.

From the foregoing, it is obvious that the real threat to the county’s national security is the growing level of indiscipline among citizens and the sheer mark of negligence and lacklustre attitude of people in authority as it is evidence that in both past and recent events, while leaders have failed to take responsibilities, citizens have also have failed to take precautions.

Ghana as a country must urgently pursue measures to find a lasting antidote to these growing phenomena as the country risks losing hugely if it fails to address it.