The Minister for Works and Housing, Samuel Atta Akyea is calling on Ghanaians to embark on voluntary desilting exercise as part of measures of preventing floods which are caused by illegal structures sited at water-logged areas and indiscriminately disposal of filth across in the country.
According to him, if Ghanaians do not shy away from the habit of conveying garbage from their houses and dumping into the open drains, waste water will not be able to flow to its intended destination.
Addressing journalists at a meet-the-press in Accra, the Minister said "How can you keep fit if your environment is filthy, it does not accord with common sense. You ran and later enjoy your 'Omotuo' then return to the mess, you have not done anything for yourself"
He added that since soil is futile ground, the filth decomposes, leaves certain strange stench leaving people with all types of diseases, typhoid among others.
"When we have down-pours, we can not even pray against it, some people will say that the minister for works and housing should go and get prayer warriors so that they will pray for the rains to stop, the Minister for Agric will kill me if I say the rains will not fall because he needs the rains for Agric to flourish" he said.
The Minister called on Ghanaians to put down measures to ensure that sewage channels are filth-free adding that it will help channel waste to go through the appropriate sources.
"Let me address one issue which is a worry. It is directed to my ministry but I will address it. In this country, we have an assembly system and they come under the minister for local government and rural development, when you want to erect a dwelling hole or a commercial structure or any structure of consequences, you need what is called a building permit" he noted.
The Minister further cautioned the populace to stop building in wrong areas such as water-ways in order to prevent floods from occurring.
The Works and Housing Minister who also doubles as a lawyer said "In Ghana, if you want to build, you will be given a permit based on the zonal arrangement of the area but it is unfortunate to say that sometimes, when you want to apply for a building permit, you will not get it although you pay for the fees it will take you two years" he said.
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith
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