Accra floods an attitudinal problem – Building expert

A building and civil engineering expert, Surveyor Kofi Obeng Ayirebi, has attributed the annual floods in Ghana’s capital, Accra, to attitudinal problems among inhabitants of the city.
A heavy downpour Monday morning left parts of Accra submerged in floods.
Parts of Asylum Down, Shiashie, Haatso, and Alajo were heavily affected. Portions of the Kotoka International Airport’s Terminal 3 were not left out.
The West Legon residence of Hassan Ayariga, founder and leader of the All People’s Congress (APC) also flooded.
Speaking to Kaakyire Ofori Ayim on Atinka AM Drive, Surveyor Kofi Obeng Ayirebi, a building and civil engineering expert said residents have refused governments and expert’s plea not to build in water ways.
“For engineering aspects I don’t have any issue, I will give the blame to people who build in waterways, these people know very well that the land he or she is buying is water logged, people will ignore and fill the land with concrete and other building materials to enable him or her build”, he said.
These same people, he said, blame government when the buildings they erect in waterways are affected by rains.
He also attributed the flood to the indiscriminate depositing of solid waste into gutters during rains.
Meanwhile, Development and Infrastructure expert, Dr. Camynta Baezie, has charged government to develop a new drainage master plan for Accra.
Dr. Baezie who is also a Development Lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) stated that a Drainage Master Plan will identify the existing drainage deficiencies and develop drainage solutions to address the deficiencies, reduce flooding, and resolve public safety concerns and improve maintenance opportunities in Accra.
Dr. Camynta Baezie stated that Accra had a drainage master plan which was drafted during the Busia administration.
He added that successive governments ignored this master plan due to the cost involved. The lack of a drainage master plan, according to him, causes Accra to flood anytime it rains.
 
Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Vivian Adu Boatemaa