The Ministry of Works and Housing has promised firm action against developers who unlawfully fill wetlands and erect structures on waterways, in a bid to reduce recurring floods.
The sector Minister, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, said such practices were frustrating government efforts to manage flooding, especially during heavy rains.
Speaking to the media on April 28, after touring a wetland at Dansoman Otodjor in the Greater Accra Region, Mr Adjei insisted that continued encroachment on water channels will not be tolerated.
“We are going to come after those people building in the waterways. With the rains about to start, we will not allow what they are doing to cause flooding in Accra. We will move in to remove all those structures they are trying to put up, and they will be penalised,” he warned.
The minister also cautioned local assemblies against granting permits for projects on wetlands, saying such approvals will face sanctions.“I will advise our local authorities that those giving unnecessary permits for buildings on waterways will be identified, and the law will deal with them,” he added.
Mr. Adjei stressed the need for strict compliance with planning rules to safeguard natural drainage systems and lower flood risks in at-risk communities.
