The New Juaben South Municipal Assembly (NJSMA) in the Eastern Region has commenced the construction of vast drainage systems across the municipality to help address the challenges of perennial flooding.

Officials of the assembly have assured the public that it would continue with the construction of uncompleted drainage projects that had been started.

Municipal Programmes Officer Madam Iris Dalada told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Koforidua that city authorities had begun constructing storm drains in some parts of the municipality.

However, she said following the recent rains, the construction process was temporarily halted to ensure due diligence and quality work for a proper drainage system and mentioned that Ada-Magazine through to the Young Men Christian Association (YMCA) hostel, all suburbs of the municipality, were flood-prone areas identified for construction of storm drains.

She said the existing drainage system would be improved as part of rigorous measures adopted by the assembly to deal with the chronic flooding and to allow people to move about doing their social and economic activities freely.

Meanwhile, Madam Dalada said NJSMA had started its regular desilting of drains and public sensitisation across 34 electoral areas to help residents appreciate the main causes of drains, ongoing construction and maintenance of drains.

She appealed to the public to support efforts by the assembly to fixing the chronic problem and also desist from dumping waste into gutters which block rainwater from flowing freely.

The public should also adhere to weather forecast warnings by meteorology officials and move quickly to safety enclaves when asked to do so.