Demolish all structures on waterways – President Mahama orders

President John Dramani Mahama has signalled a possible crackdown on structures obstructing waterways across the country, saying government will not hesitate to take decisive action once ongoing assessments are completed.

Speaking during a brief interaction with members of his Cabinet at the Accra International Airport on Tuesday, June 9, after returning from visits to the United Kingdom and Belarus, the President said he has instructed relevant agencies to identify all restricted waterways and present their findings to government.

“I have directed the task force, NADMO and all the others to do a presentation to us. We are going to identify all the restricted waterways,” President Mahama stated.

The directive comes amid series of flooding in Accra and other parts of the country.

According to the President, once the assessment is completed, authorities will be given the green light to act.

“When they have done that, I am giving the directive that they should go ahead to do what they have to do,” he said.

His remarks suggest that structures found to be obstructing waterways could face demolition as part of efforts to reduce flooding risks and protect lives and property.

President Mahama acknowledged that any enforcement exercise may be difficult for affected property owners but stressed that public safety must take precedence.

“I hope when we do that, all Ghanaians will understand that it is the government’s business to protect the safety of all of us,” he stated.