Government Developing Early Warning System To Detect Flooding – Asenso-Boakye
The Minister for Works and Housing has revealed an ongoing project by the government to help address the issue of flooding in parts of the country.
“A flood early warning system is being developed to enhance the flood resilience of communities within the Odaw drainage basin and beyond,” Francis Asenso-Boakye said.
The government he said is collaborating with the World Bank to implement the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Project (GARID) which will mitigate flood risks, address solid waste management at the Odaw drainage basin.
Meanwhile, the Sector Minister has entreated members of the general public to desist from filling the country’s drainage systems with solid waste materials.
“We cannot overlook the negative effects that our subculture of dumping refuse into open drains is having on our efforts to improve community resilience to flooding.
“I hereby admonish every citizen to desist from depositing household solid waste into the drains in the bid to support efforts of the government to maintain drainage capacity”,
Speaking at a press briefing, Sunday, June 27, Mr. Asenso-Boakye noted that this act has contributed to the flooding of various areas in the country after a downpour.
Addressing the challenge of flooding, he said it is a shared responsibility and not a task to be left in the hands of the government.
Some areas that initally were not prone to flooding are now flooded, leaving many residents displaced, according to Mr Asenso-Boakye.
“This is due to a number of factors, not least the adverse impact of climate change and uncontrolled development,” he added.
The Ashanti Region has recorded about three deaths as a result of flooding in June. One out of the three deaths is a toddler who was swept away by the flood.
The heavy rains witnessed, Saturday, June 26, left many commuters stranded in traffic for hours after the road was filled with large quantities of water.
At Shiashie, some people left their cars in the flood because they were unable to drive through.
The five-hour downpour obstructed the flow of vehicular traffic on the Weija Barrier – West Hills Mall stretch of the Kasoa Highway, Haatso stretch, UPSA among others.
Already, the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMA) has predicted that more floods will hit Ghana’s major cities including Accra, Takoradi, Tema, and Kumasi during this year’s rainy season.