The Member of Parliament (MP) for Klottey Korle Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings has urged the government to take proactive measures to ameliorate dangers of impending flooding.

She noted that Parliament had approved funds for the dredging and desilting of drains in the country, especially the Odawna River to address predicted effects of floods, but the project remained neglected.

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings made the call when she toured areas affected by a recent downpour in her constituency to assess situation first hand and also donated relief items to residents affected by the floods.

While affirming her commitment to the protection of lives and property of the constituents as embedded in her vision for Klottey Korle, she called on the government not to treat floods as a perennial problem but an emergency that needed an urgent solution and maintained that ” disaster management is a multifaceted discipline that touched every aspect of human endeavour hence the need for the government to dredge Odaw River.”

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings, who is a member of Environment, Science and Technology Committee of Parliament, threatened to petition the President as the project had been neglected and people continue to lose their lives and properties anytime it rained, would hold state authorities responsible as obvious neglect of project was unacceptable, lives, livelihoods were being destroyed and was time the government stepped in and took necessary action.

“It is not enough for state agencies that have been legally mandated to oversee needs of people during such disasters to continue to pay lip service as people perish, for government officials to come around every year and say sorry to the people,” she stressed, however, assured residents of “my commitment, determination and dedication to your safety as I follow up with appropriate authorities including presidency to ensure Odaw River is dredged for easy flow of rainwater to reduce floods.”

The MP pledged her continual education and sensitisation of residents, public, individual and collective responsibility to ameliorate effects of rains.