Mpraeso MP Davis Opoku Ansah has lamented about the lack of adequate funds for state institutions mandated to help curb the issues of flooding in the country.
The MP said the issue is a major concern that must worry all persons in authority to help address the perennial problem.
According to him, state agencies such as the Ghana Hydrological Authority which was established last year have not been provided with the needed funds to operate effectively as expected.
Contributing to a discussion in Parliament on Thursday, June 29, Mr Opoku Ansah shared some experiences he has witnessed in times past.
He, therefore, urged the government and its actors to urgently release the needed funds to the institution to help address the crisis.
“Mr Speaker, Parliament last year passed the bill for the establishment of the Ghana Hydrological Authority but Mr Speaker what is lacking now is the needed funding for this authority to operate.
“I mean we will set up a state institution and if we do not provide the needed funding to solve issues of flooding in this country, then Mr Speaker we are better off not establishing these authorities.”
“Mr Speaker I have lived at Asylum Down for the greater part of my life and I know the impact of flooding on the people that live along the big gutters and the big drains at Asylum Down.
“I recollect that anytime it rained heavily, people would have to move their equipment and other items outside just because rain found it way into their homes.”
Meanwhile, the Minister for Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye, has asserted that the government of President Akufo-Addo has committed more funds to tackle the canker.
According to him, the government has committed more funds to address the challenge of flooding and building the resilience of communities than any other government in the country’s history.
The Minister said this is evident in the implementation of the comprehensive flood control and management programme that commenced between 2018 and 2020 under the National Flood Control Programmes (NFCP).
The Programme has since seen the government commit ¢450 million, making it the most substantial investment from a government to address flooding challenges in the country.
In a statement to Parliament on Thursday on measures being undertaken by the sector Ministry to address the perennial flooding, Asenso-Boakye stated that the government’s commitments to tackling the menace under the programme resulted in initiating 384 desilting projects and the commencement of the construction of 202 drainage channels.
“To date, 370 desilting projects, representing 96% have been completed and 84 drainage channel construction projects representing 42% have been completed, with the remaining 118 at various stages of completion” the Minister disclosed.
