Winneba (C/R), April 13, GNA - The Association of Ntakufamu Low Cost Housing residents in the Effutu Municipality have appealed to the government to provide a drainage system for the new District Hospital. The Association said the new drainage should lead into the sea as a way of stopping flooding in the area that has been made worse following the construction of the hospital.

A patron of the Association, Dr Isaac Mandoh Botchway, the Director of Klimovics Memorial Hospital, told the Ghana News Agency that the Ntakufa stream with its tributaries posed danger during heavy rains.

Dr Botchwey said since he established his Hospital 30 years ago he had seen no flooding until two years ago because the drainage had been chocked and had not been desilted for a long time. In addition, he said, developers had built illegal structures along the water way from the Nakufam stream down to the lagoon. Dr Botchwey said this situation was brought to the knowledge of the Effutu Municipal Chief Executive, Nii Imphrain and the Member of Parliament for the area, Mr Mike Hammah, but nothing had been done. The Chairman of the Association, Mr Abraham Annakwa, said the area had been experiencing flooding whenever it rained. Mrs Elizabeth Kankam, the assembly member for the area, said illegal developers were also compounding the problem by putting up structures along access roads especially around Winneba Junction to Ansaful.

She said the practice had been brought to the notice of Town and Country Planning officers who had given warnings to such developers but they have refused to heed the warnings. Mr Kankam said these developers engaged the services of masons to work after 1800 hours and appealed to the Central Regional Town and Country Planning officers to monitor the activities of the Local Town and Country Planning officials who in some ways encourage such unhealthy practices.