Accra floods: Act now or face sanctions – Local Government Ministry to MMDAs

The Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development has ordered the 17 Municipal, Metropolitan, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) along the Odaw River to ensure its basin is free from encroachment.

Speaking to the media on Monday, April 29, 2024, Eric Tetteh-Addison, the Director of Policy Planning, Budget, Monitoring, and Evaluation at the Ministry, highlighted the need for the MMDAs to remove all illegal structures, especially those along the buffers of the Odaw, ahead of this year's rainy season.

He emphasized that funding is a critical factor in combating the annual flooding events experienced in Accra. He added that it is crucial for the 17 MMDAs, who are beneficiaries of the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development Project (GARID), to take proactive measures, such as desilting choked gutters, to prevent flooding.

He warned that failure by the MMDAs to effectively utilize their GARID funds while ensuring compliance would result in severe sanctions. This, he noted, will be directed at assemblies and individuals found culpable of neglecting their responsibilities.

Accra has, over the years, experienced significant floods during the rainy seasons, resulting in the loss of property and lives.

In an effort to manage this recurrent challenge, the government, among other measures, has been providing funding under the GARID project for assemblies to address the issue.

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