Preparing against Floods: Chief of Gbawe Sakumono, Assembly show the Way

Holding themselves against the unexpected, the Chief of Gbawe Sakumono (Mallam Junction and its environs) Sen Tse Nii Boye I, Assemblyman for the area, Mr. Clement Adjei and the Weija/Gbewa Municipal Assembly have shown the way.

Subsequently, they have started desilting the main drain, Gbawe Opete Gbaagbo from Gbawe through Mallam Junction to avert the possible flooding of the place during the impending rainy season.

Briefing this medium Nii Boye a.k.a Adam Nana, pointed out that since “Prevention is better than cure”, they deem it fit to desilt the drain to avert any possibility of flooding during the coming rainy season.

He noted that since the place is flood prone, and taking into consideration warning by the Ghana Meteorological Agency that this year’s rains will be intense, they deem it fit to hold themselves in readings for any eventuality by firstly desilting the main drain.

Nii Boye stated that when he muted the idea, he sold it to the Assemblyman, Mr. Adjei, who readily welcomed it. As such, they approached the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CATEC Company Ltd, Mr. Tang Hong and Mr. Tang Whill (Robert) CEO of VVIP Transports for financial assistance.

The Chief said when they got the assistance, they approached the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Weija/Gbawe Municipal Assembly, Hon. Patrick Kwasi Brako Kumor, who readily accepted their idea and provided them with an excavator to desilt the choked drain.

According to Nii Boye, because of the chocked nature of the drain (overgrown with weeds and also filled with garbage, the excavator doing the desilting had a tough time, thereby breaking down after two days work (day and night) with his car supplying the excavator with light during the night sessions.

Nii Boye stated that starting from the Salvation Church end in the Southern part of the drain, they had a tough time. What is more, some buildings had virtually been built in the drain, thereby impeding the smooth movement of the excavator to carry on the work. He attributed the breakdown of the excavator to this situation.

He indicated that when word was sent to Mr. Kumor that the machine had broken down, he promised to give them a new one for the completion of the job, since “what is worth doing, is worth doing well”.

Chief, Assemblyman Commend MCE

Nii Boye and Mr. Adjei were full of praise for his rapid response to their suggestions gestures. Mr. Adjei indicated that though he had to press the MCE on the project because of the pressure on him from residents, he had not been given such rapid response before, since he became Assembly man for the area from 2015. He stated that whenever there arose floods in the area, he would press NADMO for assistance, but to no avail. He therefore expressed gratitude to the MCE for hearing him and thereby relieving him of pressure from residents.

Nii Boye on the other hand, could not hide his feelings by not only commending the MCE, but also suggestions that he be made MCE for the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) for what he termed the good works he was offering the people. “His hands are open always. He is affable and listening to everybody!” Nii Boye exclaimed.

He took the opportunity to appeal to all to pay their taxes promptly to enable the Assembly render its required responsibility to the people. While charging the people from dumping refuse into the drain, Nii Boye urged the Assembly to wake up and check illegalities in the area, especially people who had turned the drain into a refuse dump, and those connecting their toilets into the drain. Also those structures in the drain that impeded the smooth flow of water should be checked and demolished, he said.

Source: S.O Ankamah