The Minister (bent down) collecting some sand from the drains
By Mudasiru Abdul Yakeen, Koforidua
The Minister of Works and Housing, Samuel Atta Akyea, says remedial interventions laid down by the government in dealing with flood in the country have been helpful in containing the perennial flood associated disasters recently.
Mr Atta Akyea stated that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in 2018, released a sum of Gh₵ 200 million to tackle the problem of flooding by widening the channels of the drainage systems and also making new drains.
He said such good interventions are what have necessitated the containment of perennial flooding in the country.
Gutter desliting
Mr Atta Akyea, who is also Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North, said this on the sidelines of a voluntary desilting of gutters in Koforidua, in the Eastern Region, over the weekend.
The exercise was a collaboration between the Ministry of Works and Housing, New Juaben South and North municipal assemblies and the Zoomlion Company Limited, as part of preparations to prevent flooding during the rainy season this year.
Mr Atta Akyea indicated that the exercise had started in the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions and is aimed at trying to wake the conscience of people to do voluntary desilting throughout the country.
“We have to stop the habit of dumping our garbage, which we create in our homes, into our drains. The drains will get choked, if it happens so, and this will cause flooding during the rainy season when there is a heavy downpour. There’s always a run-off water because of choked gutters, which result in flooding, destroying lives, property and livelihoods,” the Minister added.
Good behaviour
Mr Atta Akyea charged the local assemblies to up their game and punish people who continue the sub-culture of throwing filth into the drains.
The Minster has, however, praised the New Juaben South and North municipal chief executives for ensuring that the drains of Koforidua were devoid of garbage.
“I must say I’m very happy because what was in these drains of Koforidua is very different from what we see in our drains elsewhere. It is a mark of decency. All you can see is sand, which means that, but for the fact that the drains are open, you wouldn’t see anything in the channels. I entreat the MCEs to continue the good work and educate the people not to dump garbage into the drains,” Mr Atta Akyea said.
