The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Edward Doe Adjaho, has directed the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to furnish the House with detailed information about the Conti Project latest by Thursday, July 23, 2015.
A deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuije, had told Parliament that the Ministry had no information on the Conti Project and therefore, pleaded with the Speaker to place such a request before the doorsteps of the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing.
The Conti Project was meant to have constructed drainage facilities in the capital, Accra to contain large volumes of storm water that usually brings about flooding.
But the Speaker insisted that because of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development is an interested party in the Conti Project, it would be prudent for them to look for the information and furnish the House accordingly.
Hon. Nii Lantey Vanderpuije had appeared before the House to answer to questions relating to the Ministry on behalf of the substantive minister, Alhaji Collins Dauda.
His reaction was necessitated by an urgent questioned filed by the Member of Parliament for Akwapim South, Osei Bonsu Amoah.
Mr. Amoah had sought to enquire from the deputy Minister what measures were being taken by the Ministry Local of Local Government and Rural Development to prevent floods in Accra and other regional capitals in the country.
Mr. Vanderpuije had earlier told Parliament one of the main challenges that have exacerbated flooding in urban settlements is the blockage of water ways by unauthorized structures.
According to him, what has even compounded the problem further is the silting of drains through human activities such as the dumping of garbage into open drains.
In addressing the problem, he said the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has directed all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to take the necessary steps to remove unauthorized structures on water ways that impede the free flow of storm water to reduce the incidence of flooding.
He said the implementation of the National Sanitation Day Exercise to regularly desilt drains to allow free flow of storm water is another measure meant to address the problem.
That notwithstanding, he said the Ministry has also embarked on public education to sensitize the citizenry on the need to observe good sanitary practices such as avoidance of littering and indiscriminate dumping of solid waste into drains.
Going forward, Mr. Vanderpuije told the House that the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development would join forces with the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to come out with a policy to consider redesigning the drains in the country to increase their capacity.
This, he said will enable the drains to carry large volumes of storm water and also cover those within the central district business of Accra and other regional capitals.
By: Kasapafmonline.com/Ghana
