Head of Settlement Studies at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Prof. Divine Kwaku Ahadzie, has called on government to invest in social intervention to mitigate the effect of flood on Ghanaians.
In an interview on Joynews, Prof Ahadzie said although demolishing of structures to prevent flood is a good measure, focus must be given to educating citizens on how to evacuate a flooded area.
Looking at the current situation where the least rainfall results in flooding, he maintained that education is key.
“Looking at things currently, it is better we begin to focus on how to prepare in case of emergency in terms of preparation, response, recovery and mitigation. So that we can be able to focus on how if such situation happens we are going to evacuate the people? Where we are going to send them? What will be the community actions and network? What contacts are available for people to call?
June 3 disaster: Enough of the structures, we need social interventions – Head of Settlement Studies, KNUST, Prof. Ahadzie. #AMShow pic.twitter.com/rDIf6wlWDS
— JoyNews (@JoyNewsOnTV) June 3, 2022
“These are issues we have not paid attention on so my suggestion is that looking at what has happened in the recent weeks, we should not wait to have a catastrophe before we begin to think about what to do.â€
His comment is in reference to the unforeseen June 3 disaster which claimed several lives as well as the many flooding incidents the country has recently recorded.
On the evening of June 3, 2015, when torrential rains were devastating most parts of the capital city, Accra, another unforeseen disaster happened. A gas station at a central point in the city exploded.
During the downpour, fuel leakage from the GOIL station at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle caught fire from a cigarette stub near the area resulting in an explosion alongside the flood.
To ensure such a devastating incident does not recur, Prof. Ahadzie has suggested putting out long term measures in tackling the problem, which includes awareness creation, relocation of structures and constant dredging and distilling of the drains.
“If anything bad does not happen, you have used the occasion to do capacity building in terms of building the minds of people that this is the nature of flood situation in Ghana and there is a likelihood that we may have another June 3 repeating so everyone should be on board so that we all begin to have a small community engagement where we all put our mind to collectively in terms of mitigating it.â€
Following the many flood reports in Ghana, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has directed the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to demolish structures built in waterways.
Source: The Independent Ghana