Member of Parliament for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah, has called on Parliament to summon the Minister for Works and Housing to brief the House on the recurring flooding along the Accra-Cape Coast Highway following recent heavy rains.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament, the Minority MP described the situation as alarming after portions of the highway were submerged, leaving several motorists stranded for hours.
“If you look at pictures and videos from the western part of Accra, especially where Honourable Ayariga drives through to Winneba, and to Cape Coast, the whole area was submerged yesterday,” Mr Boamah said.
He stressed the need for urgent government intervention, particularly regarding drainage systems and the impact of the Weija Dam spillage on surrounding communities.
“It will be very important for us to hear from the Works and Housing Minister on the steps that the government is taking to get the drainage system fixed. The Weija Dam was opened, and people are just homeless in Accra,” he stated.
Patrick Boamah further recounted the extent of disruption caused by the floods, revealing how difficult travel along the highway had become after the downpour.
“The rains, people couldn’t drive to Cape Coast. A friend of mine left Accra at 12:00 p.m. and got to Takoradi at 10:00 p.m. It’s not a good thing to toy about with,” he added.
The Okaikwei Central MP also called on Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson to release funds to contractors working on the Accra-Cape Coast road project to speed up construction works on the stretch.
“Ato Forson must release money to the contractors working on the Accra-Cape Coast road. He must make releases and stop hiding under the commitment authorisation that he’s using to stifle everybody in this country,” Mr Boamah stated.
Responding on the floor, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga agreed that Parliament should hear from the sector minister on the recurring flooding problem.
“We tend to have these floods, and the Minister usually comes to apprise us of what the situation looks like. It won’t be bad for the Minister to come and appraise us,” he said.
Mahama Ayariga, however, argued that the flooding crisis goes beyond funding and reflects years of poor planning and weak enforcement of development regulations.
“It is not just about the Minister of Finance disbursing funds. It’s also the failure over many years to enforce all the codes that this Parliament has passed relating to how we plan our cities,” he stated.
Patrick Boamah demands parliamentary briefing over recurring floods on Accra-Cape Coast Highway