Ghana to also experience mudslide if … – Expert

The head of the Remote Sensing and GIS Laboratory at the Department of Geography at the University of Ghana, Dr Alex Owusu Barimah has warned that Ghana might also experience a mudslide if preventive measures are not put in place.

His comment follows a mudslide in Sierra Leone last week that claimed about 400 lives and left three thousand others displaced.

Dr Alex Owusu Barimah in an interview with Citi News’ Caleb Kudah said a similar fate could befall Ghana if city authorities do not enforce laws.

“This disaster is not too far from us. Infact just about two weeks ago , I was in Sekondi Takoradi and when we were driving through town, I realised it's a big issue within the town because Sekondi Takoradi is a hilly area …. I really think it is about time we take a good look at this because it won't be too long to happen in Ghana and I think it falls right within the jurisdiction of EPA and Town and Country Planning.to look at these issues.”

Experts say the magnitude of the disaster is the worst of its kind, leaving the country recovering from an Ebola outbreak a few years ago, devastated.

Meanwhile the West Africa Health Organisation, WAHO, the Health Institution of the regional bloc ECOWAS, is donating a sum of 300,000 dollars to the government of Sierra Leone in the wake of the disaster.

The West African Health Organization (WAHO) the health institution of ECOWAS has contacted Red Cross  in Sierra Leone to deploy their first aid workers which WAHO is paying for.

Other interventions include:

• A donation of 100,000 USD to the Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Health and Sanitation,; a sum which could be used to support victims and also to help prevent any epidemic that could occur, as a result of the incident.
• After consultation with WAHO, Cote d'Ivoire sent a plane full of drugs and medical equipment and the Minister of Health of Cote d'Ivoire is herself leading the delegation.
• WAHO in collaboration  with the Sierra Leone authorities put in requests for support.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana