The Member of Parliament for Weija-Gbawe, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, has attributed the persistent flooding in his constituency to the widespread encroachment on wetlands and natural waterways, saying unchecked developments have made the situation worse.
The MP said buildings constructed on Ramsar sites and water channels have blocked the natural movement of floodwaters, leaving many communities vulnerable whenever it rains heavily.
He noted that areas that were once designated wetlands have gradually been transformed into residential and commercial settlements despite attempts to prevent such developments.
“There is nothing like a Ramsar site, but as we speak, around the Pambros Ramsar area, the whole place has been encroached, and when you go there, it’s a whole town,” he said.
Mr Shaib alleged that several large companies and private developers have erected structures within the protected wetlands. He questioned why authorities have allowed the developments to continue without enforcing planning regulations.
“There are major companies there, and they actually feel very powerful, and I do not know who is empowering them,” he stated.
The MP also recalled that President John Dramani Mahama, during a visit to the area last year, directed that a committee be set up to deal with the encroachment. However, he said there has been no visible progress since that directive was issued.
“When the President visited, I was so excited about the fact that he had given directions that let’s form a committee and then let us take care of those encroachments. But as we speak, I do not know what is happening,” he said.
According to Mr Shaib, the continued construction on waterways has disrupted the natural drainage system, causing floodwaters to overflow into nearby communities during heavy rainfall.
“You are building in waterways. They fill the place to the brim, building in a manner that whenever there is rain, they are never affected, but all the other people are affected, and we are watching,” he lamented.
He called on the government to take immediate steps to reclaim the affected wetlands and demolish unauthorised structures built on them, arguing that this is essential to reducing the recurring floods in the constituency.
Mr Shaib also appealed to the media to investigate the level of development on the Ramsar sites, describing the encroachment as one of the main causes of the persistent flooding in Weija-Gbawe.
