It's not the mandate of NADMO to demolish illegal structures - Abu Ramadan

Accra floods again

Filth is one of the causes of flooding in Ghana, NADMO

NADMO should be empowered to demolish structures

The National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) has indicated that one of the major challenges in tackling the recurrent flooding situation in the country is the inability to demolish illegal structures.

According to NADMO’s Deputy Director-General, Abu Ramadan, NADMO needs to be empowered for them to properly check unauthorized structures in the country as it is currently the duty of the assemblies who seem to have done a little in ensuring these structures are removed.

He said it’s time for NADMO to be empowered to ensure to pull down structures obstructing the free flow of water.

“Everything boils down to the assemblies. There are a number of illegal structures put up all over, but it is not the mandate of NADMO to demolish them. That is the problem we have.

“For us as a coordinating agency, there isn’t so much we can do. We can only advise or proffer solutions and facilitate. If the law has given us the power to move an excavator to go and demolish buildings, I believe we would have done that”, Citinewroom.com quoted Abu Ramadan.

He said one of the main causes of the flood is filth as this filth has engulfed the drains.

“The bane of our problem is filth. Anytime it floods, it is always the fifth that has engulfed the drains. We need to find ways of dealing with the filth.”

“But we are ready. Together with our collaborating agencies, we should be able to understand each other’s role in terms of preparations towards the floods and enforce our standard operating procedures”, Abu Ramadan emphasized.

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