'CONSTRUCT THIS DRAIN'
STORY: SETH J. BOKPE
Some residents of Accra New Town have called on the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to consider, as a matter of urgency, the construction of the big drain that runs through the community.
They contended that failure to construct the drain would amount to inviting malaria and cholera epidemics.
The drain in question is filled with garbage, comprising plastic bags, empty water sachets and human waste.
The stench from the drain fills the air, making breathing an arduous task and domestic animals are seen alwaysfeasting in the drain.
A fish-smoking oven and a 'pito' joint sited close to the edge of the drain seem to be struggling for position with the rubbish thrown around.
An opinion leader, Mr Gibriela Agadi, fingered members of the community, especially those living close to the drain, as being responsible for the filth that had engulfed the place.
"When you confront them, they ask you if you sleep in the gutter," he said.
He pleaded with the AMA to help construct the drain, as it was the only means of stopping the menace. "If the gutter is constructed, I am sure most of us here will be vigilant to stop people from filling it with filth", he noted
Mr Agadi said in the past young people in the community organised clean-up exercises to de-silt the drain but they stopped because their efforts were always in vain within days.
A resident, Akosua Boahemah, blamed the situation on the non availability of garbage bins in the community which forced people to sneak under the cover of darkness to dump their refuse in the drains.
"I do not think people will intentionally throw rubbish into the gutter, if there is a rubbish container here," she noted.
Another resident, Abena Asiedu, said her house had been invaded by mosquitoes, cockroaches, rodents and some unknown bugs from the drain, a situation which had given rise to malaria and cholera cases.
When contacted, the Assembly Member for the area, Hajia Damata Sulemana, had a contrary opinion.
She faulted some landlords in the community for converting their toilets into rooms for habitation and the AMA for not having any law to compel landlords to have basic amenities in their houses.
On efforts made to solve the problem, she explained that she wrote letters to The Netherlands and German embassies to source funds for the construction of the drain but was told that the embassies in question did not assist individual assembly members but rather the central government through the ministries.
According to her, even though the construction of the drain had been awarded to four different contractors, she had not been informed about it until one of her constituents drew her attention to a group of people de-silting the drain.
"The problem we have as assembly members is that the assembly does not regard us.
If I took the trouble to write to you about the problem and you award the construction to a contractor without even informing me, how do you expect me to play an effective supervisory role to prevent shoddy work?, she asked.
Meanwhile, the Head of Drainage at the Hydrological Services Department, Mr Wise Ametefe has told the Daily Graphic that his outfit has not awarded any contract concerning the construction of the drain.
Some residents of Accra New Town have called on the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to consider, as a matter of urgency, the construction of the big drain that runs through the community.
They contended that failure to construct the drain would amount to inviting malaria and cholera epidemics.
The drain in question is filled with garbage, comprising plastic bags, empty water sachets and human waste.
The stench from the drain fills the air, making breathing an arduous task and domestic animals are seen alwaysfeasting in the drain.
A fish-smoking oven and a 'pito' joint sited close to the edge of the drain seem to be struggling for position with the rubbish thrown around.
An opinion leader, Mr Gibriela Agadi, fingered members of the community, especially those living close to the drain, as being responsible for the filth that had engulfed the place.
"When you confront them, they ask you if you sleep in the gutter," he said.
He pleaded with the AMA to help construct the drain, as it was the only means of stopping the menace. "If the gutter is constructed, I am sure most of us here will be vigilant to stop people from filling it with filth", he noted
Mr Agadi said in the past young people in the community organised clean-up exercises to de-silt the drain but they stopped because their efforts were always in vain within days.
A resident, Akosua Boahemah, blamed the situation on the non availability of garbage bins in the community which forced people to sneak under the cover of darkness to dump their refuse in the drains.
"I do not think people will intentionally throw rubbish into the gutter, if there is a rubbish container here," she noted.
Another resident, Abena Asiedu, said her house had been invaded by mosquitoes, cockroaches, rodents and some unknown bugs from the drain, a situation which had given rise to malaria and cholera cases.
When contacted, the Assembly Member for the area, Hajia Damata Sulemana, had a contrary opinion.
She faulted some landlords in the community for converting their toilets into rooms for habitation and the AMA for not having any law to compel landlords to have basic amenities in their houses.
On efforts made to solve the problem, she explained that she wrote letters to The Netherlands and German embassies to source funds for the construction of the drain but was told that the embassies in question did not assist individual assembly members but rather the central government through the ministries.
According to her, even though the construction of the drain had been awarded to four different contractors, she had not been informed about it until one of her constituents drew her attention to a group of people de-silting the drain.
"The problem we have as assembly members is that the assembly does not regard us.
If I took the trouble to write to you about the problem and you award the construction to a contractor without even informing me, how do you expect me to play an effective supervisory role to prevent shoddy work?, she asked.
Meanwhile, the Head of Drainage at the Hydrological Services Department, Mr Wise Ametefe has told the Daily Graphic that his outfit has not awarded any contract concerning the construction of the drain.
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