NADMO 'fights' KANE-EM Industries for partially blocking storm drain at North Industrial Area

The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has directed KANE-EM Industries Limited, a plastic manufacturing company at the North Industrial Area in Accra, to remove a partial blockade it has created in a secondary storm drain behind the Ashfoam factory in order to facilitate free flow of water, particularly when it rains.

According to the Accra Metropolitan Director of NADMO, Mr Henry Nii Lantei Plunge, the blockade was making flooding in the area worse.

Mr Plunge gave the directive yesterday when he inspected the secondary storm drain which is a major contributor to perennial flooding in the North Industrial Area enclave, particularly on the Dadeban and Otublohum streets.

The partially blocked drain is close to the KANE-EM factory.

It serves as an outlet for water flowing from upstream and through the culverts under the railway line and onwards into the Odaw River.

Directive

Mr Plunge said NADMO together with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) was taking the requisite measures to address the perennial flooding in the area.

PICTURE: Nana Yaw Ampem-Darko Antwi (squatting) Marketing and Communications Manager of Nesstra Ghana explaining a point to some officials of NADMO and the press during an inspection of some drains at the Accra North industrial area.

Making reference to a report by the Hydrological Services Department on flooding, he said apart from the negative effects flooding had on the companies operating in the area, vehicular movement was also badly disrupted when it rained.

“Two weeks ago, we had to collect a dead body from here after the rains; our efforts are to protect lives and properties and we will make sure that the right thing is done,” he added.

He also asked companies in the neighbourhood including Latex Foam, Qualiplast, ECG-Avenor and Duraplast and others to work with NADMO to solve the problem of flooding in the area.

Solution

The Marketing and Communications Director of Ashfoam, Mr Joe Ampem-Darko Antwi, who spoke on challenges the company was facing, said they were sometimes forced to shut down for two or more days when it rained.

He said Ashfoam was ready to pay for the cost of reconstructing the drain only if KANE-EM allowed for it to be widened to its original size.

Meanwhile, the Managing Director of KANE-EM, Mr Prasanth Nair, said he had not received any formal notice ordering the company to clear the blockade it had constructed in the drain but NADMO has refuted his position.

Mr Nair said KANE-EM was only looking for a solution to the recurrent flooding experienced in the area every time it rained.

Despite denying having received formal notification to remove the blockade, he expressed his commitment to cooperate with NADMO to find ways to prevent flooding in the area.