President John Mahama has announced that the government will procure additional backhoes and other specialised equipment for the military to improve the clearing of drains and reduce the risk of flooding across the country.
The President said the equipment would be used to remove silt and waste excavated from drains and transport the debris to designated dumping sites instead of leaving it along the banks, where it can be washed back into waterways during heavy rains.
“We also have to get specialised machines like backhoes to take the silts that we have taken out of the drains and put them in a tipper truck to take them away,” President Mahama said.
He explained that the government intends to provide more backhoes to the military to support ongoing drainage maintenance exercises.
“So we’re going to get some more backhoes for the military so that all the garbage and the silts that we have taken out of the drains, they’ll be able to gather it and go and dump it somewhere,” he added.
According to the President, removing the excavated material from drainage channels is essential to ensuring that desilting exercises have a lasting impact.
“Otherwise, if we don’t do that, what we’ve done will be in vain because when the rains come, it will just wash all those silts and garbage back into the drain,” he cautioned.
The announcement forms part of the government’s broader flood mitigation strategy as authorities intensify efforts to improve drainage systems following recurring flooding incidents in parts of the country.
President Mahama made the remarks while thanking traditional leaders, volunteers and residents who participated in a nationwide environmental clean-up exercise.
“I want to thank all the people of Ghana who have come out today to clean their environment. Thank you,” he said.
