The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Ocloo, has issued a strong warning to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), declaring that any official found to have approved the construction of buildings on waterways will be dismissed as the government intensifies efforts to curb flooding in the capital.
Speaking to journalists on Friday, July 10, during the launch of the National General Clean-up exercise, the Minister, Linda Ocloo, said district chief executives who authorise developments in unauthorised locations would be held accountable.
She stressed that she was prepared to sanction any official found culpable, insisting that the government would no longer tolerate actions that contribute to the perennial flooding problem in the Greater Accra Region.
“I’m more than ready. In fact, I want one person as a scapegoat. That is what I’m looking for. Just one person as a scapegoat,” she said.
Linda Ocloo’s comments come after President John Dramani Mahama directed that MMDCEs who approve developments on waterways and other flood-prone areas should face sanctions as part of broader efforts to strengthen accountability in local governance.
According to the Minister, some occupants of structures marked for demolition have claimed they received valid permits from local authorities. She said those claims would be investigated thoroughly to establish whether the approvals were legitimately issued and who authorised them.
“If we have that permit and find out that there’s this particular MCE who is responsible, why not? That person will be fired,” she stated.
The warning comes as demolition exercises continue across parts of the Greater Accra Region to remove unauthorised structures obstructing waterways and drainage channels. Authorities say several buildings have already been identified for demolition, with affected occupants being given notice to vacate before the structures are pulled down.
The government has repeatedly identified encroachment on waterways as one of the major causes of flooding in Accra, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall.
The Minister’s remarks were made during the first day of the National General Clean-up exercise, a nationwide sanitation campaign being undertaken across seven flood-affected regions following the devastating floods of June 29.
The exercise, organised by the Post-Flood Mitigation Committee, is being carried out in two phases. The first phase involves personnel from the security services, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), and waste management companies clearing drains and removing waste from flood-prone communities. The second phase, scheduled for Saturday, will see members of the public joining the clean-up activities.
The initiative forms part of government’s broader flood mitigation strategy aimed at improving sanitation, desilting drains, restoring waterways and preventing a recurrence of the widespread flooding that recently claimed lives, displaced residents and caused extensive damage to homes, businesses and public infrastructure across the Greater Accra Region.
