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THE OBUASI Municipal Assembly is planning to move on residents living close to the only water reservoir that serves millions of residents within the Municipality, in order to avert any possible disaster. Developers are said to have illegally acquired lands from some traditional rulers close to the reservoir, against the order of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and Municipal Town and Country Planning (MTCP) Department, and have put up structures. The Obuasi Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Richard Akwasi Ofori Agyemang Boadi, issued the warning when he visited the area, following official complaints from the Assembly Member for the Bedieso-Amangoase Electoral Area, Savanna Adjei, said it would be in the interest of the residents to be evacuated from the area to save them from any danger. It was also necessitated by recent reports of flooding, which nearly cost the life of a resident in the area, after her building was completely engulfed by mud as a result of the flood, stressing that thankfully, the woman managed to escape before the building was submerged. He said the reservoir, which pumps millions of gallons of water a day to residents of Obuasi, was also under threat, because people were gradually occupying its banks. According to him, the British firm Biowater Company Limited, which constructed the reservoir way back in 1996, warned against the potential danger of spillage, and subsequently, warned against any human settlements around the area. Mr. Agyemang Boadi said unfortunately, some traditional leaders defiantly sold the lands to individuals and developers to put up structures, leading to the encroachment. The MCE said the assembly would engage the developers in a discussion to find ways of ensuring peaceful evacuation and resettlement, stressing it was the only way to help protect the reservoir, and also protect the lives of people around the area. �I have instructed the Municipal Planning Department to engage the residents and find out how soon they can be evacuated from the area, because we need to protect lives and also save the reservoir from encroachment, since it is the major source of water supply for the people,� the MCE noted. Meanwhile, the MCE has indicated that the assembly would seek a court order to restrain owners of ongoing projects around the facility from continuing, and, therefore, pleaded with the affected developers to co-operate with the assembly when the exercise begins.