President backs demolition of structures on water courses

President John Evans Atta Mills

President John Evans Atta Mills has declared his full support for any action intended to remove all structures contributing to perennial flooding and the resultant loss of lives and property across the country.

He said the tragedies recorded recently and in the past could have been avoided if firm action had been taken to discourage the siting of structures at wrong places.

On the recurrent havoc caused by the annual flooding, he said it 'gives us the opportunity for self examination'.

In an interview with the Daily Graphic at the Castle, Osu, yesterday, the President said, 'We will continue to insist that the right things are done. I will support measures by any authority to remove what causes the floods.'

Over the past two and half weeks, Accra and some parts of the country have been inundated with floods which have claimed lives and destroyed substantial property.

This came after several warnings by the Meteorological Services Department on the pending floods.

The President gave the assurance that the government would take proactive measures to ensure that those perennial floods became a thing of the past and called for massive education on the need to avoid indiscriminate dumping of refuse into gutters and building on watercourses.

He further urged Ghanaians to undertake regular clean-up exercises in their respective communities.

The President used the occasion to express his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the floods and also sympathise with those who lost their property.

Heavy floods in the western part of Accra on Friday, June 19, 2009 claimed at least seven lives and caused massive destruction to private and public property after two hours of rain.

Disaster managers described the floods as the most destructive in recent times, with the most affected places being Sakaman and Kaneshie.