The Minority Caucus in Parliament has called on the government to present the report of the Anti-Flood Taskforce to the House for scrutiny, following renewed flooding in several parts of Accra after recent heavy rains.
The demand was made during a parliamentary debate on the recurring flood situation in the capital, which continues to affect communities and raise concerns about the effectiveness of measures introduced to address the problem.
According to the Minority, the Anti-Flood Taskforce was established a year ago to find lasting solutions to Accra’s persistent flooding challenges, yet there has been little visible progress.
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin said Parliament deserves to know the outcome of the taskforce’s work and the recommendations it has produced.
“The formation of the taskforce was widely publicised. Its results, however, have remained largely unknown. This is why the call by Hon. Jerry Ahmed Shaib for the report to be brought before Parliament is important and necessary,” he stated.
Responding to the concerns, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga argued that the flooding problem cannot be solved within a short period, stressing that the taskforce needs more time to carry out its mandate.
“I’m not sure this is a problem that can be solved within the one year that the taskforce has been in existence. A lot of studies are required, a lot of fundraising is required, and I believe they will achieve some success. We need to give them time,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Klottey Korle, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, highlighted the condition of the Odaw River, expressing concern over the heavy siltation that continues to affect water flow through parts of her constituency.
The debate was triggered by a statement from the Second Deputy Minority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Weija-Gbawe, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, who also called for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives in flood-prone areas to be summoned before Parliament to explain the measures they have put in place to prevent flooding.
Former Works and Housing Minister and Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, attributed the recurring floods largely to inadequate funding for critical drainage and flood-control projects.
“The budgets allocated for flood-control programmes are often not released, making it difficult to execute the necessary projects,” he said.
The discussion comes amid growing public concern over the recurring floods in Accra, with lawmakers on both sides agreeing that more decisive action is needed to tackle the challenge.
