Lashibi rain victims call for assistance
An association of rain disaster victims at Community 17 in Lashibi, near Tema, have denounced the government for paying just lip-service as it has not fulfilled promises made to them that it will demolish structures in watercourses in the community in order to forestall further flooding.
According to the group, promises made by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) have so far not borne any fruit.
“New structures are springing up in water courses within the community almost on a daily basis, despite the fact that in April this year the Regional Minister led a fact-finding team to the community and identified structures that were to be demolished.
“Community 17 is the only community without drains in the entire area of Lashibi and so there is severe flooding each time it rains heavily. So far, three deaths have been recorded in the community this year as a result of flooding,” Mr Amemanorkpor, the chairman of the association, told the Daily Graphic.
He said those residents whose buildings were on watercourses had been made aware and were only waiting for the government to authorise that the properties be pulled down.
Drainage
On a tour of the community, the Daily Graphic saw that the rains had eroded the asphalt on many of the streets in the area because there were no drains to carry the rainwater away.
The lack of drains, as it were, has led to pools of rainwater collecting on the streets and on all access links in the community during downpours.
Mr Amemanorkpor said residents often had to scoop water out of their compounds each time it rained.
Petitions
He wondered why officials had failed to act on the numerous petitions presented to them.
“Over the past six years, we have submitted over 20 petitions to the government through the Urban Roads Department, Ministry of Roads and Highways, NADMO, TMA and the Tema Development Corporation (TDC) yet have not received any favourable response.
“The only person who responded to our petition was the then Minister of Roads, Mr Joe Gidisu. That was in 2012. Since then no concrete action has been taken,” Mr Amemanorkpor said.
Community 18 storm drain
According to him, an 18-inch storm drain constructed along the main road in Community 18 has worsened the plight of the people in Community 17.
He wondered if residents were expected to pour water scooped from their homes into the storm drain along the main road, since there were no other drains in the community.
While questioning the wisdom that went into the engineering work leading to the drain along the main road, he was quick to add that residents who got affected anytime it rained heavily did not hesitate to contact politicians who took advantage of the people’s plight for their parochial interest.
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