Member of Parliament for Nkwanta North, Hon John Oti Bless, has called on Ghanaians to stop the indiscriminate disposal of refuse into drains and waterways, describing the practice as one of the leading causes of the persistent flooding situation across the country.
Delivering a statement on the floor of Parliament, the MP expressed grave concern over the devastating floods that recently affected several parts of the country, disrupting economic activities, damaging properties, displacing residents, and putting lives at risk.
According to him, major roads and communities, including sections of the N1 Highway, the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, the Accra-Kasoa corridor, the Weija-Mallam stretch, and parts of the Tema Motorway, experienced severe flooding following heavy rains.
He noted that similar incidents were also recorded in several low-lying communities across the country.
While sympathizing with victims affected by the floods, Hon. Oti Bless stressed that many of the disasters were preventable and largely caused by human activities.
He blamed the worsening flooding situation on poor sanitation practices, indiscriminate dumping of refuse, choked drains, encroachment on waterways, weak enforcement of planning regulations, inadequate maintenance of drainage systems, and the growing effects of climate change.
The MP further questioned the effectiveness of previous flood mitigation interventions funded with public resources and international support.
He called for a comprehensive review of major drainage and flood control projects, particularly the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) project, which received an initial funding of 200 million US dollars from the World Bank in 2019 and an additional 150 million dollars financing approved in 2024.
According to him, Parliament must assess whether those interventions have significantly helped to address the recurring flooding challenge in Accra and other affected areas.
Hon. Oti Bless disclosed that the Parliamentary Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources, as part of its oversight responsibilities, had toured seven regions across the country and observed deteriorating environmental and sanitation conditions in many Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
He noted that choked drains, indiscriminate dumping of refuse, and weak enforcement of sanitation by-laws had become widespread, confirming that flooding was not only an infrastructure problem but also a governance and sanitation issue.
The lawmaker also raised concerns over the shortage of environmental health officers nationwide, despite the availability of thousands of qualified graduates who remain unemployed.
He urged government to recruit more environmental health officers to strengthen sanitation monitoring, law enforcement, and public education efforts across the country.
As part of measures to tackle the challenge, Hon. Oti Bless proposed the restoration of a dedicated Ministry for Sanitation and Water Resources to provide focused leadership and policy direction on sanitation and water-related issues.
He also advocated the establishment of a National Sanitation Authority to coordinate sanitation policies, regulation, monitoring, and enforcement nationwide.
According to him, such an institution would improve accountability, strengthen institutional coordination, and ensure the effective implementation of national sanitation policies.
The Nkwanta North MP emphasized that addressing flooding in the country requires a collective national effort involving government, local assemblies, traditional authorities, the private sector, and citizens.
He urged the public to desist from dumping refuse into drains and waterways, while calling on relevant state institutions to enforce sanitation and environmental laws without fear or favour.
Hon. Oti Bless also commended the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ghana National Fire Service, the National Ambulance Service, security agencies, local assemblies, and volunteers for their swift response and support to flood victims during the recent emergency.
By 1960news.com
