Weija MCE tours municipality

Page 22, May 3, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Weija Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Owusu Afriyie, has advised contractors working on various drainage projects in the municipality to step up their work to avert flooding in the area during the forthcoming major rainy season. He has also called on engineers of the assembly to prioritise the numerous drainage and road projects in the municipality for the immediate execution of the pressing ones.
Mr Afriyie, who was recently confirmed as the MCE for the newly created municipality, gave the directive during his maiden inspection of ongoing development projects and also see how the flooding problem in the area could be tackled.
The recent heavy downpour in the area cut off of some communities from the rest of the municipality.
Some roads have also been rendered impassable due to the flooding, the poor drainage system, construction of houses in waterways and the swampy nature of the area.
Some of the areas that the MCE toured included Mallam Junction, New Bortianor, New Gbawe and Zero.
One problem that he found in all the places he visited was flooding, which had made it very difficult for residents to use the existing roads, especially during the rainy season.
When the MCE inspected the Gbawe-Bulemin road where portions were flooded, the Assistant Weija Municipal Engineer, Mr Peter Quaye, disclosed that a contract had been awarded for the reconditioning of the road to check the perennial flooding.
He stated that big culverts would be constructed at the bad spots on the road to allow for free flow of rainwater before tackling the main road construction.
At Weija, residents told the MCE that the recent rains had washed away a small culvert spanning the road, making it impossible for vehicles to pass from one side of the town to the other.
The problem at the White Cross area of New Bortianor was not different from others, as the residents pleaded with the MCE to ensure that a culvert was constructed over a big gutter in the area to enable them to cross over to their houses.
Mr Afriyie assured residents in the various communities that the assembly would tackle projects its resources could meet immediately and seek help from the central government to solve those that were beyond the assembly’s capabilities.