The Speaker of Parliament has summoned the Ministers of Finance, and Works and Housing to appear and brief the House on steps being taken to avert the floods in Accra.
The instruction follows a request by the Minority Chief, Kwame Agbodza, in a statement he read on the floor of the House on Thursday, June 22 about Wednesday’s flood in parts of the capital and reports of loss of lives.
A woman and her two children are reported to have been carried away by the flood water in the Ngleshie-Amanfrom constituency.
The Whip Chief pointed out that the rains have just begun and yet a number of areas have already reported serious flooding and loss of lives.
According to him, for the past three years, there has not been desilting of major storm drains and gutters in Accra before the rainy season begins as was the practice in the past.
He expressed worry the same area reported flooding in March this year during which two people died and stressed it has become too much of a tragedy to ignore.
He said, “As a House and as a country we need to take this seriously and see whatever we can do, to at least, minimize the damage that is happening in these areas.”
“It is not beyond the capability of Parliament to help the relevant agencies to finance the needed interventions to save lives.”
“Desilting the major storm drains and gutters in Accra cannot be something beyond the funding of government and with the approval of Parliament.”
“That is why I call on the House to invite our colleague, the Minister for Works and Housing to apprise the House as soon as possible so we can work together to save compatriots in the flood-prone areas.”
The Speaker noted that flooding is a very important subject matter and indicated since entering Parliament in 1993, there have been so many statements on it every year, and yet the state is not finding solutions for the problem.
He averred that besides air, water, and food, shelter is the next important requirement, and yet the state rather uses a lot of money on useless things.
He questioned why storm drains and gutters are still constructed open and needed to be desilted before the rainy season when they should be covered.
“Oh, this is not the best,” he stated.
The Speaker subsequently gave instruction for the Business Committee to programme the Minister of Works and Housing Francis Asenso-Boakye to appear before House together with the Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta