President John Dramani Mahama has warned that public officials who approved building permits in the Weija Dam spillway area could lose their jobs as government intensifies efforts to address flooding and encroachment on waterways.
Speaking during an engagement with the Ghanaian community in London on Sunday, May 31, the President revealed that he has directed the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, to investigate how permits were granted for developments in the spillway zone.
“We need to punish those who signed the permit for that. I’ve told the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs to find out who signed these permits. We will not transfer them to the north, we will sack them,” he stated.
President Mahama blamed the situation on the actions of some traditional authorities, landowners and local assembly officials who, he said, have allowed construction in areas reserved for water flow and flood management.
According to him, lands within the Weija Dam spillway, which are designated to accommodate excess water released from the dam during heavy rains, have over the years been sold and developed for residential purposes.
“Part of the problem is the local councils and assemblies. You find a house in a waterway. And somebody signed a permit for them to build there. Look at the Weija Dam; it has a spillway.
“In the dry season, these same traditional rulers and landowners will sell land to people in the spillway of the dam, and when they open the spillway, your house is flooded with water,” he said.
His comments come in the wake of recent flooding in communities downstream of the Weija Dam following the controlled spillage of excess water after heavy rains. Areas such as Tetegu and surrounding communities have recorded widespread flooding, leaving many residents displaced and causing significant damage to homes and property.
The Weija Dam, a major source of water supply for parts of Accra and nearby communities, is periodically spilt during periods of intense rainfall to prevent overflow and protect the integrity of the facility.
President Mahama stressed that accountability is necessary to prevent future disasters and ensure that regulations governing development in flood-prone areas are strictly enforced.
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