Nene Verya Ozor II, Chief of Detsekorpe in the Ada East District, has called on traditional leaders to collaborate with Municipal, Metropolitan, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to develop proper drainage systems and structured community layouts to mitigate the recurring flooding.
Nene Ozor, speaking with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Ada, stressed the need for chiefs and landowners to involve local assemblies in matters of land acquisition and planning.
He expressed concern that some traditional leaders and family heads focus primarily on the financial gains from land sales, with little regard for how the land is developed or the long-term impact on the community.
“Chiefs can play a crucial role in ensuring proper layouts are established, which would allow for efficient water flow during heavy rains. If we, as traditional leaders, collaborate with the MMDAs and enforce proper planning, flooding can become a thing of the past,” he stated.
Nene Ozor was reacting to recent flooding of several communities within the Ada East District, submerging homes and destroying properties.
Mr Samuel Tawiah, the Ada East District Engineer, told the GNA that plans were underway to construct canals and drainage systems and develop community layouts to address the frequent flooding.
He noted that many of the affected communities were established decades ago and lacked modern planning, resulting in poor drainage and disorganised settlement patterns.
“The interconnected nature of these communities, where most residents are related or belong to the same extended families, makes it challenging for the assembly to enforce certain measures, such as demolitions,” Mr Tawiah explained.
He assured residents that the Assembly was committed to implementing lasting solutions, including the creation of proper drainage infrastructure, to reduce the impact of future floods in the district.