Minister of Works and Housing, Hon. Francis Asenso-Boakye has directed the Ledzokuku Municipal Assembly to immediately stop building construction work by some private developers at Kpeshie Lagoon Wetlands in Teshie, a suburb of Accra to stop immediately, before the rainy season.
This was seen when the Minister, Francis Asenso-Boakye (MP), accompanied by officials of the Ministry, the Hydrological Services Authority and some Municipal Assemblies in the Greater Accra region embarked on a working visit to check the progress of drainage works in selected flood prone areas of the city, and also to assess their preparedness drainage infrastructure that was completed before the rainy season.
Wetlands Kpeshie Lagoon, Kordjor River, all in the Municipal Assembly of Ledzokuku, as well as La Dade-Kotopong where part of the buffer, is seen with the construction of heavy buildings by private developers, including Messrs. RA KONGLOMERATE, operating without matching building permits, and finally filling the protected buffer -law, which is meant to hold the excess volume of water flow during heavy rain.
In recent times, several illegal structures that include residential buildings as well as heavy encroachment by developers in some prominent wetlands have conspired to prevent Government investment in efforts to provide drainage infrastructure across the country.
President’s order
This unfortunate development has prompted the President, HE Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to issue a directive to all Metropolitan, Municipal and Assemblies (MDAs) to demolish structures illegally located in waterways and swamps.
Therefore, he called on the Assembly that is the jurisdiction of illegal constructions, to take the necessary steps to comply with the President’s directive and destroy the structures that have been built in wetlands or in the waterways, and thus, more open the city. for damage from annual floods.
The sector minister was appalled at the extent to which the Kpeshie Lagoon Wetlands and buffer reserve areas were openly filled with construction materials by private developers.
Mr. Asenso-Boakye reminded the Assembly of the directives of the President of the Republic to pull structures that are said to be illegal inside or along wetlands or waterways that tend to contribute to perennial flooding in the country.
“It is very unfortunate that despite the huge investment in drainage infrastructure over the years, the irresponsible behavior of private developers continues to expose the city, especially in areas that until now have not experienced flooding”. Minister stated.
The minister of the sector said that the power to initiate the demolition exercise of the illegal structures rests with the Assembly and therefore urged them to take immediate action to prevent flood-related disasters during the rainy season.
Commenting on the need to destroy structures built on waterways and in wetlands, the MCE for La Dade-Kotopon where the buffer Kpeshie Lagoon, Mr. Solomon Kotey Nikoi said, “The efforts of the Assembly to stop the building of illegal structures has become a challenge. which requires the urgent intervention of The Ministry oversees. Attempts to stop, destroy and arrest the perpetrators have been attacked by land guards and death threats.
He recommended that the Government form a national task force to address the menace of encroachment on wetlands.
On the security challenge, the Minister of Works and Housing assured his readiness to join senior colleagues in the Ministry of Local Government to request the support of the security authorities to deal with private developers who want to thwart government efforts by ignoring them. law, to the threat of flooding.
Source: Peacefmonline.com
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