Involve hydrologists in road construction; Expert urges government
The Head of Hydrological Service Department, Mr Seth Kudzordzi, has urged the government to engage hydrologists in road construction processes in order to reduce perennial flooding in the country.
He said road construction in the country was undertaken mostly without the involvement of hydrologists, and that it resulted in poor road construction because of the disregard for proper drainage systems which would have checked flooding.
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A drainage facility at Madina Redco.
Inspection tour
Mr Kudzordzi said this when he joined the Minister of Works and Housing to inspect some flood prone areas in Accra to assess the condition of the drains ahead of the 2020 rainy season.
The team visited ongoing drainage projects in Weija, Kasoa , Madina and the Odaw River, all under the 2018 National Flood Control Programme.
“I want to urge the Department of Urban Roads and the Roads and Highway Authority to consider hydrological services as part of road construction processes, otherwise we will continue to have our roads submerging in water during downpours,” he stressed.
Proper hygiene
The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Samuel Atta-Akyea, encouraged residents in flood prone areas to practice proper hygiene to reduce the impact of flooding in the country.
He said one of the leading causes of flooding in Accra was the improper disposal of waste which often choked the drains.
He acknowledged that the situation was a major challenge in the country, stressing that it had resulted in the loss of lives and property.
Protecting drains
Mr Atta-Akyea said regardless of the amount of investment aimed at finding a solution to flooding in Accra, the country might not achieve success if people continued to remain adamant about proper sanitation practices.
“Government is working tirelessly to ensure a permanent fix of the flooding situations in the country, but for as long as we are not there yet, we as individuals must also support to curb the situation by ensuring proper disposal of our waste,” he stressed.
He also urged the various assemblies, particularly those in low land areas, to engage their members in voluntary desilting of drains to avoid overflow of sewers when there was a downpour, and encouraged them to enforce the relevant bye-laws on sanitation.