An expert in Local Governance, Amon Kotei, has revealed that constant sweeping of homes is a contributing factor to flooding in the country.
Speaking to Akua Boakyewaa Yiadom on Adom FM’s Burning Issues on Wednesday, on the topic, ‘Curbing Impact of Perennial Floods and the Role of the District Assemblies,’ he said although daily sweeping of compounds is a norm in Ghana, it removes the topsoil, causes erosion and subsequent flooding.
The Local Governance Expert further added that ideally, rainwater should be harvested yet the opposite has been the case in Ghana.
“The issue is that, when you build, you have to green the compound. If you don’t green it, you concrete it. You don’t have to allow the rainwater to touch the ground to wash the topsoil and cause erosion. The running water gathers elsewhere and causes flooding.”
He indicated that in some advanced countries, it is an offense to allow rainwater from your roof to hit the soil.
Mr Kotei admonished Ghanaians to inculcate the habit of rainwater harvest to reduce flooding issues.
“Go to places like Sweduro or Nyaakrom some buildings are about collapsing and you can even see the foundations of those buildings because the soil covering their foundations has been washed away by erosion. Sweeping of homes is a bogus idea.”
Several lives and property have been lost as a result of perennial flooding in almost all regions of the country in recent times.
Human activities such as the filling of wetlands and lagoons, the dumping of solid waste in drains, the obstruction of lagoons and wetlands for development purposes, construction on drainage channels that restrict stormwater flow, the dumping of waste in drains that reduce their capacity, and inadequate enforcement of planning and building laws by local authorities have been identified as the leading causes of the annual records of flooding.
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