As The Deluges Make Landfall

Finally the rains are here. It would appear that there has never been such an apprehension over what awaits the residents of Accra ahead of the commencement of the annual deluges.

From the Works Minister to the Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and his deputies, not forgetting residents of areas prone to flooding, all had misgivings about whether or not the first major deluge was going to be uneventful.

Thankfully though it passed off without incidents, a suggestion that the measures, temporary though, taken to obviate the perennial rainy season trauma have been successful. Some might say it is too early to pat the authorities on the back, especially, when we are still in the early days of May. Early days yet we can say.

We have come a long way from independence to date that we should continue to suffer from the shortfalls of critical infrastructure deficiency which make it near impossible for the nation's capital to contain a consistent four hour of rain without incidents.

The incumbent leadership at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and government – both have shown an appetite for reversing the perennial floods in Accra.

Yesterday, Mohammed Nii Adjei Sowah, boss of AMA was overheard talking about how his outfit has been able to embark on a massive desilting of gutters in the city – a reason which, as he put it, obviated a flood.

Of significance also in his remarks was the observation that residents continue to empty garbage into the city's drainage system; these eventually choking the gutters and occasioning in flooding as water seeks alternative ways in its meandering journey to the bowels of the sea.

The only way we can address this challenge, it has been observed by many who have traveled abroad and appreciate what a covered drainage system is, in our opinion, is a replication of this module in our country especially in Accra as opposed to the open one which provides bad residents with the opportunity to dump domestic wastes into them.

It is amazing why people would continue to do this when they are not oblivious to the effects of the bad practices.

A long term solution to this challenge is educating children at school about the effects of such unacceptable practices. They would, without doubt, grow up with such discipline and good practices etched in their DNAs.

Even as we continue on this pedestal, the state should in the long run access funding to embark upon a major drainage infrastructure so the perennial pumping of public funds into desilting only for these gutters to be filled with garbage and sand within a short time would be stopped and such funds used for other projects.