General News of Friday, 8 September 2017

Source: hbtvghana.com

Stop building on water ways – Addai Nimoh

Francis Addai Nimo, Former Member of Parliament for Mampong Francis Addai Nimo, Former Member of Parliament for Mampong

Ghanaians have been advised to stop building houses on water ways to avert the rampant flooding of the capital city of Ghana, Accra.

He made references to his travel to Mexico where houses were built with a proper plan.

” The Mexican City houses about 25 million people but because it is well planned,they do not have sanitation and drainage problem”.

The Former Member of parliament for Mampong in the Ashanti region, Mr. Francis Addai Nimoh was sharing his opinion on how the country can deal with the issue of flooding especially in the capital, Accra.

Hon. Addai Nimo who is a Civil Engineer by profession, made this known on Homebase TV’s flagship programme dubbed Eboboba in an interview with Kobi Hemaa Osisiadan – Bekoe in Accra.

Poor drainage systems in the towns and cities contribute immensely to flooding in Ghana. In cities and towns such as Accra, Kumasi and Sekondi-Takoradi, drains are poorly constructed. The drains and gutters constructed are not large enough to ensure easy flow of water.

The result is that when the rains fall heavily, there is an overflow of water, even in areas considered to be dry.

Hon Addai has however advised that qualified personalities must be contracted to deal with the drainage system in the country so that a lasting solution can be found in terms of managing drainage in the country.

He said the ” the drainage system in UK ais about 150 years but because experts were contracted they do not have drainage issues”.

”The city’s massive, sprawling built-up and paved land surface has reduced the pervious surface available to allow rain water to percolate or sink into the ground. For this reason also, heavy rains produce high volumes of run-off and flush floods. For example, large volumes of run-off from the high population density settlements, Accra Newtown, Nima, Mamobi and Alajo feed the large Nima drain and the Odaw channel”.

Since April 2017, Ghana has experienced extreme changes in the weather that has caused flooding in five regions. These floods have caused a great impact on the people’s health, safety and destruction of properties and likelihood.

The flooding has started causing devastation to communities and the government.

According to the Ghana Meteorological Agency the country is to experience torrential rains’ until the end of the month of September 2017.

On the 10 of July 2017, greater Accra, central, western and eastern regions were declared as flood emergencies or under threat because of flood.