The newly-inaugurated Board of the Ghana Hydrological Authority has been charged to develop a drainage master plan to help address perennial flooding facing the country.
According to the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Francis Asenso-Boakye, the master plan would guide the development and management of drainage systems to strengthen the country’s capacity to deal with flooding.
“With the implementation of the proposed drainage master plan, I am confident that we can mitigate the effects of flooding and make our communities safer to live in,” he added.
He was speaking in Accra yesterday during the inauguration of the 10-member Board of the Authority chaired by Kwasi Anim.
Mr Asenso-Boakye further asked the Board to explore different sources of funding to enhance Ghana’s flood resilience.
This, he said, was critical in the face of financial challenges facing the government, saying that “since 2018, the government had invested GH¢450 million in tackling flooding in Accra and other parts of the country”.
He noted that the Board should also serve as the central point for drainage management, consultancy, and supervision across the country.
The Minister asked the Board to collaborate with the various stakeholders in the sector to ensure the successful implementation of projects involving drainage development.
The chairman of the Board, Mr Kwasi Anim, said the members were counting on the support of the Ministry and other stakeholders to achieve the objectives that necessitated the establishment of the Authority.
Mr Anim assured the Ministry that the Board would discharge its duties with diligence and integrity to assist government’s efforts in tackling flooding in the country.
BY CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS
