Government committed to end perennial flooding, says Asenso-Boakye

The Minister of Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye, says the government is committed to roll out measures to prevent or mitigate flooding this year.

Asenso-Boakye was speaking during a working visit to flood-prone areas of Accra to ascertain the level of drainage works done by Dredge Masters, a subsidiary of Ghana’s leading waste management company, Zoomlion.

The visit was to press home the government’s efforts to forestall flooding in the country this year.

Asenso-Boakye also announced that government has spent GHC230 million so far to address flooding in the country. He said additional resources will be committed to prevent the problem recurring.

“Within the last four years, on drainage provision alone, government has spent GHC230 million. And you saw the dredging works at Odawna that is being done by Dredge Masters. In fact, I’m amazed at the work done so far,” Asenso-Boakye said.

He added: “This annual dredging has helped the country prevent another [round of] major flooding. The government will continue to commit resources towards addressing the issue of flooding.”

Enforce building codes

The minister called for all hands on deck to tackle the problem. He also urged district assemblies to enforce the building code strictly to ensure that structures are not built along waterways.

“The government alone cannot address the issue of flooding if, as a country, we as citizens don’t conduct ourselves in a responsible manner,” the minister said.

“I therefore, urge our colleague citizens and Ghanaians to be more responsible in the disposal of solid waste.”

No flooding

Sena Kofi Adiepena, the operations manager of Dredge Masters, the company tasked to dredge the Odaw and the Korle Lagoon, expressed optimism that significant flooding will not occur this year.

He said that engineers have so far done about 60% of the needed work.

However, he also lamented the presence of squatters on the banks of the lagoons and called on city officials to intervene to tackle the problem.

“The third phase of dredging is to ensure that all deposits from the activities of squatters are removed from the Odaw to ensure proper management of the lagoon, and also to facilitate the flow of water through the lagoon into the sea without sediment from refuse being dumped into the lagoon by squatters,” he said.

Philipa Ayilimah Atanga

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