A serious but ignored spectacle currently taking a toll on the once christened Garden City in Kumasi is the building on water ways.
This attitude is not only destroying the environment but creates unfortunate incidents when it rains.
In some instances, trees are demolished and by so doing contributed to vegetation shortage.
Apart from property destruction, people lose their lives at the least rainfall.
All in the name of residential buildings, stores, gas and fuel stations.
Places seen as worst affected in this vegetation shortage are Dakojom, Susanso, Ahensan, Kwadaso, Atonsu, Airport roundabout and Sepe Tinponmu.
At these areas, water bodies suffer most as building constructions take over the green environment.
However, one wonders why such environments will be used for human habitation.
Is it because water logged areas are always sold cheap to developers or city authorities have just thrown their responsibilities to the gutters?
Let’s quickly find out …
Reasons have been ascribed for use of wetland areas for building houses.
The commonest reasons were that, wetland areas are cheap, close to other parts of the city and are “no man’s land”.
These are usually areas marked out in the land use plans as natural areas and not to be developed.
However, the landowners later bypass the city authorities and sell such areas at very low prices.
The city authorities do not also actively protect or use such areas therefore creating the impression that it is a no man’s land.
For these reasons, the wetland areas in Kumasi quickly develop into informal settlements harbouring squatters and slum communities.
Some developers have keenly taken advantage of the situation and are amassing themselves with this development.
At the end of the day, serious erosion takes over the affected land bring untold burdens to settlers.
Story By: Aboagye Frank Jackson & Nana Owusu Achiaw