President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has commanded that any barriers to the free flow of water, as well as developments around rivers, be removed immediately.
They (MMDAs) are also responsible for ensuring that developers follow Ghana's planning regulations to the letter, as well as sanctioning personnel who have provided licenses for buildings to be erected on waterways as a deterrent to others.
The President delivered the orders on Wednesday at Adjei Kojo in Ashaiman, near Accra, as he commissioned four ultra-modern dredging equipment owned by Dredge Masters Limited (DML), a subsidiary of the Jospong Group of Companies.
DML is a prominent dredging contractor in Ghana and across the African continent. The organization has a lot of expertise with integrated dredging and other associated services.
The President stated that a monitoring unit had been formed at Jubilee House to guarantee strict adherence to those directions, and that it would report directly to him on the success of the execution of those measures.
"As a result, I am putting all MMDCEs on notice." You shall be held liable for any breaches that result in flooding damage. I will not allow the selfish actions of a few to imperil the collective prospects of the rest of us as President of the Republic."
President Akufo-Addo also warned "unpatriotic citizens" against dropping garbage down open drains. "The depletion of rain forest along the equator and increase in ocean acidity around Africa's southern coast, vastly altered weather patterns and climate extremes that threaten agricultural productions, food security, health, water, and energy security, all of these are undermining Africa's ability to grow, develop, and bring prosperity to her long-suffering masses, all of these are undermining Africa's ability to grow, develop, and bring prosperity to her long-suffering masses."
Dredge firms, according to the President, have long contributed to coastal protection projects and shoreline maintenance, and have upgraded their engineering technologies to do so.
"Dredge Masters has made important efforts to this goal for us in Ghana, and the introduction of two Ultra-Modern IHC Beaver and two IHC Workboats today means that Ghana, and indeed the West African market, now has its own indigenous enterprise capable of dredging to a depth of 16 meters." When it comes to dredging dams, reservoirs, ports, and harbors, as well as land reclamation efforts, we no longer need to go outside," he remarked.
The help provided by enterprises such as the Jospong Group, according to President Akufo-Addo, is assisting the objective of putting Ghana beyond aid.
"I'd want to take this opportunity to reiterate that the government will continue to foster an environment that allows the private sector to not only survive but also prosper." "We will continue to assist private sector operators in strengthening and empowering themselves," he added.
The President, speaking on the recent flooding in Accra, revealed that the government had spent GH450 million on a flood control program since 2017, which has resulted in fewer floods, notably in Accra's key flood-prone districts, such as the Odaw drainage channel.
He announced the commissioning of the fifth phase of the Accra Sanitary Sewer and Stormwater Alleviation Project, which would ensure that the Odaw Channel is free of silt and debris. "In fact, 19 kilometers of drains have been built, and over 1,000 kilometers of drains have been dug, rechanneled, and maintained around the country as part of efforts to lessen Accra's chronic flooding," he said.
In light of recent events in Accra, President Akufo-Addo acknowledged that more needs to be done to address the situation permanently, and pledged that "government will continue to work towards the day when Ghanaians, especially those in Accra, will live in calm and tranquillity throughout the rainy season."