The La Nkwantanang-Madina Municipal Assembly on Monday demolished structures on waterways at Pantang Village to prevent a recurrence of the flooding that hit the area on June 7.
The exercise followed the refusal of owners of an uncompleted church building and a fence wall to comply with several removal notices issued by the assembly to enable it to dredge the wetland.
The assembly had already deployed equipment and personnel to desilt a major drain and clear the area, which had been choked with weeds and illegal structures.
The action also follows last month’s rainstorm, which flooded several homes, leaving residents stranded and properties submerged.
The flood further affected traders at the Abokobi Market in the Ga East Municipality, which shares a boundary with the La Nkwantanang-Madina Municipality.
After the exercise, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Alhaji Ibrahim Fuseni Faila, warned developers against encroaching on waterways.
He explained that wetlands were reserved for specific purposes and stressed that any structure put up on such lands would be demolished.
Alhaji Faila described the area as a natural reservoir that absorbed excess water from the mountains, making it highly prone to flooding.
“This is exactly what happened on June 7, which left the area flooded and disrupted the economic activities of residents who were not responsible for the situation,” he said.
The MCE indicated that persons who encroached on waterways often did so without permits, sometimes putting up structures during weekends or at night to evade detection by the assembly’s works department.
He added that the assembly had put in place measures, including weekend and night patrols, to curb the practice, warning that offenders would face sanctions.
Alhaji Faila said plans were far advanced to expand the wetlands to enhance their capacity to absorb excess water, particularly as floods continue to affect parts of the Greater Accra Region.
He stressed that, aside from areas designated for human settlement, no one would be allowed to violate the assembly’s building regulations by constructing in waterways.
He warned that any developer who disregarded the law would be surcharged for the cost of demolition.
The MCE added that the exercise would be extended to other communities, including Oyarifa and its environs.
BY LAWRENCE VOMAFA AKPALU
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