A pensioner, Justina Appenteng, and twenty-five other households risk losing their homes to flooding caused by a private developer’s non-compliance to drainage regulations at Kenkey Factory in new Juaben South Municipality.
3news has gathered that other residents in flood-prone areas in Koforidua are also reeling from the effects of several hours of continuous rainfall.
Hours of rainfall exposed decades of unresolved drainage challenges and new ones from negligence.
A private developer has filled a natural water retention area and diverted the ‘amp3su’ stream without implementing proper drainage systems, actions that have worsened the impact of flooding in the area.
Justina Appenteng, who has lived here in her personal home for decades, says she won’t sit back and watch her lifetime investment washed away by a private investor.
“I have lost my husband in this fight to protect our property. Countless times we have constructed walls that got broken down as a result of filling this area. We were never affected by floods until all this begun. They want me to sell my house by force. I won’t do that. In any case is it by force?” she said.
The Eastern Regional Minister Rita Adjei Awatey returned to the site to issue a final directive for immediate remedial steps.
“We were here weeks ago to stop you and asked that the right thing be done. We need investors but not at the detriment of our citizens. Fix the wall for her and construct a proper drainage or stop working, ” she ordered.
Meanwhile, frustrated residents in flood-prone areas in Koforidua demand urgent political will and decisive action.
“We have seen this before, several government officials always visit and leave, no action is taken, we need permanent solutions,” one of them said.
Technical Directors on the Regional Ministers entourage advised for an immediate distilling of drains and choked gutters.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Adjei Awatey, says the seized excavators from galamsey sites would be used to clear clogged gutters and restore proper drainage in the area.
“I am ordering that the excavators we have seized from galamsey sites be used to distill all choked drains,” she directed.
Meanwhile, perennial flooding caused by poor drainage systems, encroachment on waterways and heavy rainfall continues to be an unresolved challenge in several part of the Eastern Region.
The post ER: Regional Minister directs private developer to stop project that is causing flooding at Kenkey Factory first appeared on 3News.
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