The Chief Director of the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (GARCC), Rev. Harry Nii Kwatei Owoo, has blamed the increasing incidents of flooding and the construction of buildings in waterways on negligence and failure by engineers and physical planning officers at Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
According to him, many of the country’s drainage and flooding challenges stem from the failure of officials to conduct proper inspections before approving building permits.
Rev. Owoo therefore urged officials of the assemblies to maintain high professional standards in executing their duties to safeguard public safety and ensure orderly development.
He made the remarks during a working and familiarisation visit to the Shai-Osudoku District Assembly in the Greater Accra Region.
During the visit, the GARCC Chief Director commended the Shai-Osudoku District Assembly for demonstrating professionalism in its development control and permit issuance processes, describing the assembly as a model for other MMDAs across the country.
He praised officials of the district for strictly adhering to planning regulations before approving building permits, noting that their professionalism once prevented him from unknowingly constructing a building on a road reservation.
According to Rev. Owoo, professionalism in public service delivery remains critical in addressing problems such as indiscriminate construction, flooding and poor urban planning.
“We don’t just do work anyhow. We have to be professional,” he stated, stressing that engineers and physical planning officers must thoroughly inspect sites before issuing permits for construction projects.
Rev. Owoo recounted a personal experience where officials of the Shai-Osudoku District Assembly insisted on inspecting his proposed building site before granting approval for development.
He explained that after presenting his site plan to the assembly, the engineers compared it with the area’s master plan and discovered that the proposed location of the building fell within a planned road corridor.
“They told me if I put my house there, it would be in the middle of a road,” he revealed.
The GARCC Chief Director said the assembly officials subsequently advised him to contact the landlord who sold the land to him in order to rectify the issue before construction commenced.
He noted that years later, road construction has indeed begun in the exact area identified by the assembly officials, validating their professionalism and foresight.
“That is why I always remember this assembly for helping me. I’m very happy about the professional work they did,” he said.
Rev. Owoo indicated that the incident has become a practical example he shares with assemblies across the country whenever discussions on professionalism and proper service delivery arise.
“Today, people have put up structures in waterways. How did it happen? It is because of unprofessional conduct where people do not inspect sites before issuing permits,” he stressed.
Beyond professionalism, Rev. Owoo also charged staff of the assembly to improve punctuality and productivity at work.
He reminded workers that government pays public servants for eight working hours each day and cautioned against lateness and absenteeism.
“Government is taking only eight hours out of your 24 hours from Monday to Friday and paying you for it. If you report to work at 9:00 or 10:00 a.m. and close at 3:00 p.m., then you are cheating government,” he said.
According to him, many advanced countries have achieved significant development because workers are disciplined and often paid according to the number of hours they work.
Rev. Owoo therefore encouraged staff to report to work promptly at 8:00 a.m. and remain productive until closing time at 5:00 p.m. as required by law.
He also expressed concern about excessive use of mobile phones during working hours, saying many workers spend valuable office time on social media platforms such as TikTok and Facebook instead of focusing on their assigned duties.
“People come to work and spend all their time on phones, chatting, watching TikTok, movies and Facebook whilst work is there,” he lamented.
He urged workers to minimise distractions and focus on delivering quality services within official working hours.
“We have to be productive. Within the eight hours, whatever work you have to do, make sure you do it,” Rev. Owoo added.
By 1960news.com
