Private developer blamed for flooding in Kumasi suburb

Some residents of Kaase in the Kumasi metropolis got trapped in their homes Thursday morning as a result of flooding from a downpour.

The rains submerged about five houses in the area, making it difficult for residents to move from their homes. The residents claim the activity of a private developer, who has reclaimed lands around the Subin River, is the cause of the flood.

The affected residents say they have been living in the area for decades but never experienced any flooding until recently. They started battling with floods last year when the private developer started the construction of an estate. The activity, they claim, has blocked the waterways in the area, making it difficult for rain water to flow smoothly.

Wednesday night’s two-hour downpour flooded five homes. Residents had to wait several hours for the water to subside before taking the risk to find a way out of their homes. The residents want city authorities to stop the private developer from disturbing the waterways. The Ashanti Regional Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Kwabena Senkyire, blamed the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly for issuing a permit to the developer.

He pleaded with the public to desist from buying land on waterways. The office of the metropolitan engineer, however, says they are yet to ascertain whether the private developer has genuine permit to undertake the project. Until a drainage system is constructed in the area for rain water to have easy flow, residents would have to lace their boots to battle the floods anytime it rains.