President John Dramani Mahama has directed the immediate demolition of all structures built on waterways around Mallam Junction in the Weija Gbawe Municipality.
This decision is part of ongoing efforts to mitigate the devastating impact of recurrent floods in the area, which have caused significant loss of life and property damage over the years.
The order follows a recent inspection of flood-prone areas in Accra, where President Mahama met with city engineers, municipal authorities, and local residents to assess the severity of the flooding issue.
During the tour, Mahama expressed deep concern over the unregulated construction of buildings and other structures on waterways, which he identified as a primary contributor to the frequent flooding in the region.
In a meeting with municipal authorities and city engineers, President Mahama questioned how settlements and commercial buildings were allowed to be constructed in natural drainage channels.
He highlighted the amount of water that the Mallam Junction area must manage during heavy rains and emphasized that improper planning and unauthorized developments would only exacerbate the flooding situation.
“The assembly here, how did you sit and allow this to happen? How did the assembly allow this to happen? And that is why you have the chief executive and assembly members. They must be conscious of all this. These are waterways. Can you imagine the volume of water that this place alone can hold when it rains?” Mahama said.
He continued, “And so if you fill it up and you say there should just be a drain passing through, the drain cannot contain that water. And so let’s do what we have to do. They should remove all these.”
Flooding remains a major urban challenge in Accra, particularly in low-lying areas like Mallam Junction, Weija, Odawna, Kaneshie, and Circle.
The issue is mainly driven by inadequate drainage systems, improper waste disposal, and encroachment on natural floodplains. Despite calls for intervention from residents and environmental experts, unauthorized construction continues to worsen the situation.
President Mahama’s decision to order the demolition of these structures is seen as a crucial step in addressing the root causes of flooding in the city and improving the resilience of urban infrastructure.