Floods hit Accra yet again

Some residents of Opetekoi, near Dansoman in Accra, are reported to be obstructing efforts to construct waterways to allow for the free flow of flood waters.

Residents of a number of flooded houses complained to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) about neighbours in walled houses who would not let parts of their walls to be broken to allow the flow of water.

Consequently, a number of houses in the Opeteikoi, Ebenezer Down and Mpoasei, Glefe and Gbegbeyisei have been flooded following the Wednesday dawn downpour.

During GNA's rounds to monitor the effects of the downpour, it found a number of residents wading through big pools of water in the middle of the adjoining streets to Ebenezer Down Station at Opetekoi.

The waters were generally up to the upper parts of the thigh.

Most houses along the street were also flooded and whole and pieces of cement blocks were arranged as steps on which the people walked to their rooms.

Madam Alice Tetteh, a resident in the area for 12 years, told the GNA that efforts to pull down part of structures impeding the free flow of water last Saturday were frustrated by some residents.

She said Madam Theresa Tagoe, the MP for the area, had brought the Ghana National Fire Service to help to pump out the water.

Madam Tetteh said some owners of houses in the waterways employed guards to harass anyone, who might attempt to break any wall or move any structure in the water. They also threatened to use juju power on them.

She said the waters in the streets and some homes took more than six months to dry up, and added that residents were worried about the recalcitrance and threats of their fellow neighbours.

She appealed to the Government and the AMA to step in to save the situation.

On the Atomic Road to Agege Last Stop, children were found using buckets to scoop water out of gullies in the streets and in the process asking for money from drivers for their efforts.

There were traffic jams in the city in the late morning hours, after the dawn downpour.

Also, hordes of anxious passengers were found in a number of lorry stations waiting for vehicles.

Taxicab drivers took advantage of the situation and charged more than the approved fares. They also drove empty cabs looking for those who wanted "dropping".