By Christine Naadu Lartey
Tema, June 09, GNA – The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and other state agencies have intensified inspections, demolition of illegal structures, and public education campaigns as part of efforts to address perennial flooding in the Tema West Municipality.
Mr Kwaku Adjei Baah, Head of the Hydrometeorological and Geological Unit of NADMO, said the organisation was collaborating with the Tema West Municipal Assembly (TWMA), the Works Department, the Physical Planning Department, and other stakeholders to implement measures aimed at reducing flood risks.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr Baah said officials had conducted inspections in flood-prone communities, including Adjei Kojo, Klagon, Lashibi, Baatsonaa, Tema Community Two, Tema Community Five, and Sakumono, to identify causes of flooding and recommend solutions.
He disclosed that NADMO, in collaboration with the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council, the Forestry Commission, and the municipal assembly, had undertaken exercises to remove illegal structures obstructing natural waterways, particularly around the Sakumo Ramsar wetland.
According to him, authorities had also intensified community clean-up exercises to clear choked drains and gutters to facilitate the free flow of rainwater during heavy downpours.
Mr Baah said municipal engineers had identified locations requiring additional drains, culverts, and bridges to improve stormwater management and reduce the impact of flooding.
He noted that public education campaigns were also being conducted to discourage the construction of buildings on waterways and the indiscriminate disposal of waste into drains.
The NADMO official urged residents to report illegal developments to enable authorities to enforce planning regulations and prevent encroachment on wetlands and drainage channels.
Mr Baah, however, acknowledged that flooding remained a challenge in some parts of the municipality due to continued construction on waterways, inadequate drainage infrastructure in older communities, and rapid urban development.
He added that the indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drains continued to compound the problem by obstructing the flow of stormwater.
Mr Baah stressed that addressing flooding in the municipality would require stronger enforcement of planning regulations and the cooperation of residents.
GNA
Edited by Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo/Kenneth Odeng Adade