Keta: The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) in Keta, located in the Volta Region, has issued a stern warning to residents and the general public, urging them to refrain from constructing buildings on waterways and waterlogged areas within the municipality.
According to Ghana News Agency, NADMO emphasized that building structures on such areas is illegal and presents significant risks to both lives and property. Mr. Wonder Setsoafia Deynu, NADMO Director in Keta, highlighted during his routine community visits that obstructing water flow through construction on waterways boosts the likelihood of flooding, property destruction, and potential loss of life.
Mr. Deynu noted an alarming increase in the practice of building on waterways and waterlogged areas, posing a severe threat to the community. He warned that legal action would be taken against those who do not comply with the directives and urged residents and developers to immediately stop any unauthorized construction activities in vulnerable areas. He also encouraged residents to voluntarily dismantle any structures already built on waterways without delay.
Expressing concern over the disregard for directives, Mr. Deynu lamented how some individuals and developers have contributed to the serious flooding situation in the municipality by building on waterways. He called on residents to report and voluntarily dismantle such structures, stressing the importance of the directive in preventing flooding and protecting lives and property.
The NADMO Director also expressed worry about ongoing illegal sand winning activities occurring secretly at night along the shores of Keta. He warned that such activities could lead to coastal erosion, environmental degradation, and weakened defenses against sea flooding, which could harm marine life and threaten community infrastructure and livelihoods.
Mr. Deynu made an appeal to chiefs, institutional heads, fishermen, assembly members, the media, and all community stakeholders to collaborate with security services to halt illegal sand winning and safeguard the coastal environment. He reiterated NADMO's commitment as the lead disaster management agency, working tirelessly to promote preventive measures and educate the public on disaster risk reduction.
Residents interviewed by Ghana News Agency voiced their dissatisfaction with the secret sand winning activities and the unauthorized construction on waterways. They affirmed that NADMO's warning serves as a crucial reminder of the risks linked to such practices and urged authorities to take action against those who defy the directives.
