Hold all involved in unregulated spatial planning to account!!

 Joining the national celebration of the Eid-ul- Fitr at the Independence Square in Accra on Monday, March 31, this year, President John Dramani Mahama raised among other issues of national concern the problem of some people building in waterways and other unauthorised places.

The Ghanaian Times considers this a very grave problem, so at the least opportunity it criticises the inaction towards addressing it.

Therefore, it is elated the subject has come up again and this time, taken up by a President who appears very serious about ending the problem.

We hope President Mahama’s words would not be just blowing hot air, but the intended action hinted of what would be seen in no time so that those contem­plating building at such places elsewhere would think twice.

In years past, political admin­istrations had promised fixing the unregulated construction of structures that cause flooding and all its devastation.

However, they have failed massively in delivering the solu­tion for reasons best known to them.

Clearly, there is the urgent need to crush the reckless dis­regard for planning regulations and environmental safety which has been a major contributor to devastating floods that continue to plague the country.

Therefore, President Mahama must be given all the necessary support to fix the problem once and for all.

It is of note that the President knows some of the sources behind the problem – private businesses and some chiefs.

It is sad that these chiefs, businesses and estate developer companies think only of the money going to accrue to them without the slightest of thought for the survival of vulnerable people and animals.

Why on earth should chiefs al­low themselves to be influenced by estate developers to turn water retention areas and Ramsar sites into built-up places?

If, indeed, Ramsar sites are wetlands designated as being of international importance un­der the Convention on Wetlands, or the Ramsar Convention, which aims to conserve and promote the wise use of wet­lands, then why should chiefs be allowed to violate an internation­al convention with such impunity and go scot-free?

Ramsar sites are critical habitats that can be reserved for some animal species, when it is determined that such areas are essential for their conservation.

We should also note that the unregulated spatial planning jeopardises the beauty of com­munities and the convenience to live in them.

There is no doubt then that the haphazard spatial

planning is doing more harm than good to the country and the government must step in, and urgently so, to fix the problems.

The Ghanaian Times supports every move to fix the problems associated with building houses and other structures in water­ways and other unauthorised places.

However, we think the gov­ernment must devote some time to identify all those behind the rot, including public officials like those working at the various dis­trict assemblies, and make them share in problems, for instance by way of bearing some of the financial loss to be suffered by the owners of such houses and other structures.

This is because either they were negligent or complicit for giving the tacit push for the developers to go ahead with their construction works.

In an era of resetting Ghana, the law will have to be applied against all those who flout it, and not only the helpless or the vulnerable.