Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has urged the Minister of Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye, to be firm in tackling the drainage challenges in the country.

Asantehene also urged the minister to stand by his authority regardless of the pressure that might mount on him when he takes hard decisions in tackling drainage and housing challenges that cause flooding in the country.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu gave the advice when the minister called on him at the Manhiya Palace, Kumasi, during the second day of his working visit to the city on Wednesday.

According to Asantehene, the country needed a courageous minister to tackle the flooding problem confronting the country.

He asked Mr Asenso-Boakye to take entrenched decisions to check indiscriminate buildings of structures on water bodies as well as dumping of refuse in drainage systems.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu, asked him to be humble and respectful to his co-workers and avail himself for advice and criticism in the course of his duty.

Mr Asenso-Boakye indicated that he was on a mission to transform the housing and drainage systems and propagate the agenda and vision of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The minister explained that the government’s vision was to provide better and affordable housing for Ghanaians through its Mass Affordable Housing Project and also solve the drainage and flooding challenges.

He acknowledged the housing and drainage challenges of the country, and promised to work harder to change the situation.

Mr Asenso-Boakye commended Otumfuo Osei Tutu for releasing land at Dedesua in the Bosomtwe District of Ashanti to the government for a mass affordable housing project.

In a related development, the minister inspected ongoing drainage works at Adiembra, Asafo, Suntreso, TUC, Atafoa and Oforikrom.

He also visited the Building and Road Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research to inspect their bricks and cement factories.