'Government sitting on US$200m Akufo-Addo left to combat perennial flooding' - Korsah claims

Former Minister for Local Government Decentralisation and Rural Development and MP for Techiman South Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, has accused the current government of failing to utilize more than US$200 million that he says was left by the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration to tackle perennial flooding in parts of Accra.

Speaking on AsaasePa 107.3 FM, Adjei-Mensah Korsah said the funds were earmarked for major drainage works and the construction of water retention facilities to reduce the impact of flooding, particularly in the Greater Accra Region.

“The NPP government left behind over US$200 million to combat perennial flooding, yet the NDC government is unwilling to utilize these funds,” he alleged.

According to him, the flood mitigation programme was designed to include the construction of drainage systems and water-holding ponds across several flood-prone communities.

“The intention was to construct drains to control flooding. Water-holding ponds were also part of the projects we intended to undertake,” he explained.

Adjei-Mensah Korsah said the initiative was planned to cover 17 metropolitan areas within Accra but experienced delays during implementation.

“The project was supposed to be carried out in 17 metropolitan areas within Accra. However, the pace of work was slow,” he stated.

He attributed part of the delay by the NDC to challenges in acquiring access to some project sites, claiming that some local residents objected to the works.

“We held meetings, and we were informed that work had slowed because some indigenous communities were not permitting the projects to continue. Whenever we asked about the projects, we were assured they would proceed,” he said.

The Techiman South MP further claimed that the flood control initiative has since stalled and expressed concern over reports that the project’s scope may be significantly reduced.

“As it stands now, the project is still on hold. We intended to construct 18 water-holding ponds, but now the finance minister says that, if we are fortunate, only two will be constructed,” he alleged.

Adjei-Mensah Korsah called on the government to prioritize the completion of the flood mitigation projects, arguing that they are essential to addressing the recurring flooding challenges affecting many communities.