10,000 residents of Adentan Municipality risk being displaced

About 10,000 people living downstream the Fulani and the Animal Research Dams in the Adentan Municipality of the Greater Accra Region, risk being displaced if urgent steps are not taken to rehabilitate the dams.

The dams burst their banks following last Thursday downpour that resulted in flooding of homes and clearing items along its way.

During the heavy rains, residents, who were affected, fled their homes while others looked on helplessly as their items were swept away by the flood.

The muddy water uprooted trees along the banks of the dams, causing extensive damage to portions of two roads connecting Fulani Last Stop through Rufus and Regimmanuel roads and the road connecting the Animal Research – communities, posing danger to road users.

This came to light on Saturday when the Adentan Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Daniel Alexander Nii Noi Adumuah, Member of Parliament (MP)for the area, Mohammed Adamu Ramadam, the Assemblymember for the Koose Electoral area, Miss Gloria Adjetey, inspected the affected areas.

The Greater Accra Regional National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) officials also joined the officials, to assess the situation, towards finding a lasting solution to the problem.

The Municipal NADMO Coordinator, Humphery Ankamah Sarpong who briefed the team, said an intensive public sensitization has begun to alert the residents on the impending danger and advised them to get to higher grounds during floods.

According to him, heavy rain could flood areas downstream, including Fulani, Lakeside, New Legon, Nana Krom, Ashaiman, Animal Research, Adentan Housing, AshaleyBotwe, School Junction and other parts in the Accra – Tema Motor Way area.

Mr.Sarpong asked the La Nkwantanang Madina, Ayawaso West and Ashaiman Municipal Assemblies to be alert about flooding.

He said after the team met with the residents, the Fulani Last Stop and the Animal Research Area were closed to traffic, to prevent any accident, but said alternative routes could be rehabilitated in order not to inconvenient road users.

Mr. Sarpong said that the dams were reservoirs meant to accommodate excess water that flows from the mountains but have been encroached.

He said proposals have been sent to the Hydrological Services of the Ministry of Works and Housing, for the repairing of the damaged culvert over the Fulani stream, while plans were being made to dredge the dams.

Mr. Ramadan commended officials of NADMO for the prompt response to the disaster, and appealed not to use the blocked roads, but rather use the alternative routes to avoid any disaster.

The Greater Accra Regional Coordinator of NADMO, Archibold Kobbina, assured the residents that the alternatives routes would be graded to make them motorable.

He also said the emergency arrangements would be made for the dams to be dredged and advised the residents against the use of the road.

Mr. Kobbina warned that properties constructed in waterways would be demolished within the next two weeks.