Accra (Greater Accra) 18 May 2001
Several Members of Parliament on Thursday bemoaned the poor state of social infrastructure and the effects of rainstorms in their constituencies and called for urgent attention to alleviate the plight of the people.
In statements in the House the MPs cited roads, private and public buildings, including schools and water and sanitation facilities which have either been destroyed by rainstorm or through sheer neglect.
Mr Kwasi Akomea Kyeremateng,(NPP Afigya Sekyere East) accused the previous government of suspending all development projects in his constituency after the
NDC lost the constituency in the 1996 elections.
He said roads, water and sanitation projects were all affected.
Of particular significance, he said, was the suspension of work on the Agona
- Effiduase, Agona - Wiamoase, Bepoase - Daban and Jamase - Wiamoase roads and water and drainage projects at Wiamoase.
Mr Kyeremateng said the road from Jamasi through Boammin, Amenase to Wiamoase is in a very bad shape and if nothing is done about it, precious lives would be lost.
He said the road from Wiamoase to Kofiase, Bepoase, Kototeasua, Kyiremfa, Akyekesease, Tutu Nkwatoo and Otoni is equally bad and appealed to the Ministry of Roads and Highways to review the contracts to ensure early completion of work.
Mr Kyeremateng called on contractors to adapt to the wind of "positive change" blowing across the country and show positive attitude towards their work.
He said sanitation in the constituency was also ignored by the District Assembly and appealed to the reconstituted Assembly to be proactive in solving the water and sanitation problems in the constituency.
Mr Emmanuel Acheampong, (NPP Gomoa East) called on his colleagues to join him in registering their sympathy to the bereaved families of victims of recent rainstorm disasters in his area.
He mentioned Gomoa Nyanyano, Fetteh, Amoanda, Jukwa, Lome, Buduata and Nyanyano which suffered extensive damage to property including several buildings.
Mr Acheampong said as a result of the destruction to school buildings, pupils and teachers have had to attend classes in makeshift classrooms and in some cases, under trees.
He appealed to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the ministry of education, individuals and benevolent organisations to assist with
building materials, drugs, blankets and money to resettle the people.
Mr Manu Kwaku Balado, (NPP Ahafo Ano South), appealed to the Ministry of
Education to draw up a programme to assist in re-roofing schools destroyed by rainstorm.
Mr Kwabena Sarfo, (NPP Offinso South) drew the attention of the House to similar situations in his constituency which have created a lot of hardship to the people.
He said most of the "so called modern houses" are not built according to building codes and are easily affected by rainstorm.
Mr Sarfo urged the Ministry of Works and Housing to restructure its building techniques to suit local conditions and cited the circular building structures in the northern parts of the country which are hardly affected by rainstorm.
Mr Brandford Adu, (NPP Okere) called on the government to ensure that school buildings are designed and constructed to withstand rainstorm.
Mr Akwasi Afrifa, (NPP Fomena) said the time has come to institute measures to mitigate the effects of rainstorm since considerable damage has been recorded across the country.
He called on the government to make it a policy of encouraging mass tree planting.
Mrs Grace Coleman, (NPP Effiduase-Asokore) and Deputy Finance Minister-designate urged officials of the Ministry of Roads and Highways to undertake a critical tour of the country to assess the state of roads and take concrete steps to repair them.
GRi…/
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