By Samuel Akumatey
Ho, Jul. 10, GNA – Mr Divine Bosson, Ho Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) has warned that the assembly would not hesitate to clampdown against illegal and unauthorised structures in the Municipality.
He said about 90 per cent of buildings in flood-prone areas had no permit and had been situated with no recourse to the layout and development of the Municipality and such structures would be pulled down.
The MCE was touring affected areas in the Municipality, a day after last Saturday’s heavy downpour, which caused flooding in neighbourhoods in the area.
He told the media that improper waste disposal, among other forms of disregard for the laws on sanitation and land use bore was the main cause of such disasters, which affects homes and business causing damages running into millions of cedis.
The MCE and the team which included Assembly members from the various electoral areas, visited homes and businesses affected by the floods.
Known flood zones including the Civic centre, and a mega culvert on the Ho to Aflao road close to the Teaching Hospital got overflooded.
The silt bearing waters invaded homes on flood ways, breaking walls and depositing dirt, and the Asogli palace which borders a major culvert got flooded.
People could be seen still scooping water from their rooms when the team visited, while some shop owners were seen packing their wares into vehicles for relocation.
The MCE gave orders for buildings near collapsing because of the flood to be pulled down.
Mr. Bosson commiserated with the victims and said per the mandate of the Assembly, the needed solutions would be provided, and which would include an expansion of existing drains.
“We need more drains in town. We must build a lot of drains that are well engineered to handle the water flow,” he said.
The MCE said about 90 per cent of structures in flood prone areas had no permit, and that the Assembly would not renege on necessary actions to save the city.
He said the trouble spot is the Teaching Hospital area which deserved a major bridge in place of the culvert, and that the ongoing construction of the UHAS bypass would make way for a befitting bridge.
Mr. Bosson hinted that the Agbogbomefia Togbe Afede XIV has asked the Municipal Assembly to constitute a technical committee with urgency to deal with the floods.
He said Agbogbomefia had promised the needed support to save the city, and assured all that the Assembly would grasp the collaboration to help enhance its development projection.
Ms. Ivy Amewugah, Volta Regional Director of NADMO, said her officials were all over accessing the damage, which was said to be widespread, and that the Organisation would work with the various assemblies to address the menace of the obstructing structures.
GNA