Govt to remove unauthorized structures — Ashitey

Page 13, July 8, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah

THE Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashitey has announced government’s intention to remove all unauthorized structures in waterways after an inventory had been conducted and due diligence carried out.
He said after these measures had been carried out, where there were no permits and these structures were obstructing free-flow of water, they would have to be demolished.
Mr Ashitey made the announcement in a statement he presented on the floor of Parliament on the current floods being experienced in Accra.
He said an inter-ministerial task force comprising of Road and Highways, the Interior, Water Resources, Works and Housing, Local Government and Rural Development, NADMO, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly and the Greater Accra Co-ordinating Council had been put in place to resolve all matter relating to the disaster.
He said it was sad to note that when decongestion was mentioned, many people referred to it as the removal of traders from the streets of Accra.
He said it was his view that decongestion should encompass the removal of all unauthorised structures and trading activities from the unauthosused places.
Recounting the flood situation, he stated that this year’s flood had been very serious resulting in the destruction of property worth millions of cedis and displacement of many people.
He stated that during the incident, officials of NADMO, the RCC and the 48 Engineers Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces were deployed to the scene to assess the situation and map up strategies to stem the tide.
Mr Ashitey said as a short term measure, repair works on a number of roads had been started in earnest and primer sealing of the Kaneshie-Mallam Road had been done,
He said the permanent restoration of the roads would be done using alsphalt sealing and expressed the hope that many of the works would be completed before the end of this month depending on the state of the weather.
The Regional Minister stated that the Roads and Highways and the Hydro Division of the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing intended to desilt the underground storm drain on the Kaneshie-Mallam Road and re-align sections of the drain around the Obetsebi Lamptey Circle.
Contributing to the debate, the MP for Mfantseman Mr Kuntu Blankson, said it was important not to politicize the issue adding that all Ghanaians had a responsibility to address that challenge.
The MP for Ayawaso West Wugon, Mrs Frema Osei-Opare shared the sentiments of Mr Blankson and urged the government to introduce a long-term bi-partisan policy that would help address the situation.
The MP for North Dayi, Ms Akua Dansua, for her part said, there was the need to adhere to building and sanitation regulations to ensure that rain water did not chole drains and cause havoc.
When he took his turn, MP for Ayawaso Central, Sheikh I. C. Quaye said there had been tremendous work done in the past as a result of which areas such as Achimota, Alajo, Dzorwulu, Odawna, Osu among others had not experienced flooding this year.
He said during his tenure of office he was able to reduce the population of mosquitoes in Accra and added that starting from today he was going to embark on a mass spraying exercise to rid the city of mosquitoes.