Tema NADMO queries Metro planners over flood-prone area development

By Alexander Nyarko Yeboah
Tema, April 14, GNA - Hajia Zinab Abdulai, the Metropolitan Director, National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Tema, has observed that most of the recommendations made to Metropolitan authorities not to allow building in flood-prone areas have been ignored.

'We have made several recommendations to the authorities but to no

avail. Every day, the buildings go up and when it rains, we lose lives and properties,' she said.

Hajia Abdulai made the observation during a presentation on flood prevention at the Tema Metropolitan Assembly as part of NADMO's sensitization programme on flood related dangers.

She observed that flood prone areas within the Metropolis had been given out with permits for people to build on and hinted on how difficult it was to trace those responsible between the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) and the Tema Development Corporation (TDC).

'When we visited a site at Community 18 roundabout, we saw somebody putting up a wall just close to the drains. We were there with TDC. TDC said TMA gave the person the permit, but the TMA officers with us said they had not issued any permit to anybody…,' she said.

She asked the Assembly to pull down all unauthorized structures within the Metropolis and refer developers to the NADMO office on issuance of permits.

She also urged assembly members to discourage people from residing in flood-prone areas to reduce the risk of flooding and its consequences.

Hajia Abdulai asked government to provide low-cost housing to accommodate the poor in society to prevent them from resorting to such places for residence.

She said Tema Metro NADMO had organized and equipped Disaster Volunteer Groups (DVG) to provide first line response in the event of disasters, investigate reports and analyze the nature of hazards, vulnerability and risk situations.

She told the Assembly that Act 927 empowers NADMO to enter any premises which structure posed or was likely to pose danger during disaster and demolish such facilities.

Hajia Abdulai said negative attitudes of people including indiscriminate dumping of refuse, indifference of people to live in marshy areas, weak development control and weak collaboration between authorities in the Metropolis accounted for the associated hazards of flooding.

She identified flood prone areas in the Tema Metropolis as parts of Community 18 washing bay area, Community 20 Awudu Issachar area, Klagon water works area, Regimanuel- Gray Estates, Tema Newtown, Ziginshor, Community 17 Transformer Down, Community Five and Three Down.

Others include: Valco Down, Oninku area, part of Bankoman, part of Community 2 Agbamame road, parts of Adjei Kojo/Sun City, Cambodia, parts of Community 10 and community 11 which border the Sakumo Ramsar Site,

GNA