The Minister of Works and Housing, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, has reiterated the government’s commitment to ending flooding in the Greater Kumasi area of the Ashanti Region as part of its resetting agenda.
According to him, with support from the World Bank to end flooding in the nation’s capital, Accra, President Mahama wants to extend the initiative to other regions, with Kumasi being the second target.
He explained after discussing the issue with the World Bank, the proposal was accepted in good faith to help end flooding in other regions beyond Accra.
The minister made this known in Kumasi during a workshop with technical experts to identify flood-prone areas in the city.
Mr. Gilbert Adjei noted that Kumasi has recently been in the news for flooding, which requires urgent attention.
“It was disheartening when the king was stuck in flooding while returning from the airport and had to wait until the road was clear before proceeding,” he expressed concern.
The Minister added that technical experts are currently in Kumasi conducting visibility studies to identify the causes of flooding in the region.
There are also discussions with stakeholders to determine the right approach to address the flooding.
The minister urged citizens to desist from the habit of putting refuse into gutters, which contributes to flooding during rainfall.
“Discussions are underway with the assemblies on how to issue building permits, emphasizing that permits should not be given for construction in waterways to address the flooding challenge,” he said.