Gomoa East District Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Robert Hackman, has stated that the recent flooding that has caused a major havoc on the Okyereko portion of the Accra-Winneba highway and left many homes flooded, was caused by a contractor’s attempt to divert the river’s course which overwhelmed a small bridge.
He explained that the volume of water entering the bridge was extreme, exacerbated by another bridge that a contractor had blocked.
He, however, noted that some traditional leaders say the incident occurred because of the contractor’s failure to pour libation before the start of the project as suggested by some residents.
The incident occurred when a contractor working on the Kasoa-Cape Coast highway blocked the main bridge over the Ayensu River in the Gomoa East District last Wednesday.
The Ayensu River, one of the largest in the Central Region, originates from the Eastern Region and crosses the Kasoa-Cape Coast Highway at Gomoa Okyereko before flowing into the sea.
The contractor blocked the main bridge to build a modern structure capable of handling the river’s water volume.
In an interview with Joy News, Mr. Hackman said, “Currently, I’m at the scene, and it is an eyesore. Yes, it is true that 200 houses are submerged, and three have collapsed. Thank God no one has been hurt.”
He added that those affected by the flood are temporarily staying at the Church of Pentecost in Gomoa.
Mr Hackman explained that the flood resulted from the confluence of three rivers, which the contractor diverted into a single channel.
“And I think these three rivers per what people are saying and the Nananom [Traditional leaders] are saying, the rivers don’t like each other and so that has created this flooding.”
He noted that there had been no rainfall in Gomoa for the past three days. The contractor, who blocked the road, was advised to pour libation on the three rivers to prevent this, but this was not done.
He said local leaders, including the traditional leaders and the chief priest, are now present and awaiting guidance on how to proceed with pouring the libation.
Mr Hackman clarified that the bridge blocked by the contractor is different from the one causing the current flooding.
“The bridge that caved in is an old bridge, the bridges here are two, and we have the main Ayenso bridge and that of the small one, so the contractor diverted the main bridge into the smaller bridge.
Mr Hackman has requested the contractor to unblock the bridge, to allow the river to flow through both structures, which should help mitigate the flooding.