Is NADMO prepared for the rains?

Flashback 2010: A house at Dansoman filled with water after the rains. Pix by Eric Owiredu

The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), and other affiliated organisations responsible for preventing and managing floods, must put measures in place to secure areas that were inundated by floods last year, due to construction works and projects.

Since the level and amount of rain cannot be determined accurately by the Meteorology Department, the Accra File paid a visit to some construction sites in the city, and noted that work had slow down, and there were no flood preventive measures in place, in case of any occurrence.

For instance, the Dansoman-Gold House restaurant area for once suffered massive flooding last year, due to road construction works which was ongoing, during which the gutters were destroyed.

The File noticed that there was stagnant water at the sides of the road, which indicates the inability of the water to flow because of the lack of drains, and surprisingly, this area is not known to be flood prone.

Aside that, businesses along the road such as restaurants and bars have collapsed, because customers no longer patronise their services due to the dusty nature of the surroundings.

Although good roads are a requisite for development, road construction works should take into consideration the negative effects such works may have on the health of the people, especially, nearby residents.

Some residents the file interviewed said before they get to work their clothes are already dirty, with some asking what the cause of delay in the execution of the work was.

Unfortunately, the contractor on this particular stretch of road does not water it to reduce the amount of dust, thereby putting the health of those living nearby and commuters at great risk.

Last year, many people were made homeless, and properties worth millions of cedis destroyed, due to the rains, that NADOM had to intervene to pump water from peoples' homes.

Somehow, disasters of this nature, which can be prevented, must be acted upon as quickly as possible to protect life and properties.

Although, nothing comes on a silver-platter, the file however pleads with the contractor to frequently water the road to cut down the amount of dust.