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The Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly (KoKMA) will soon begin the demolition of structures blocking waterways within the municipality as the rains set in.

Rev. Daniel Odei-Appiah, the Municipal NADMO Director for the Assembly, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said notices had been served on owners of such structures within the Municipality to conduct structural integrity assessment and submit same to the Assembly.

He said, “We intend to demolish structures and not only those in waterways but dilapidated ones, but we will go round for the third time, to re-emphasize the need for them to do the assessment themselves, submit the reports to us, so we can take the next step.”

He said the process started last year and owners were given enough time to do the right thing and if they failed then a decision would be taken at the disaster management committee level for the demolition to begin.

Rev. Odei-Appiah said the Assembly was aware of the causes of the flood disasters in the Municipality and education and sensitization on disaster prevention had been one of the major strategies of the Assembly.

He noted that sanitation issues within the municipality had also improved compared to previous years and as a result, the Assembly had not recorded any major floods since last year.

“Last year we did not record any issues of flood during the rains because the Assembly ensured regular clearing of drains, and we are hopeful that this year will not be any different.”

On the issue of providing relief items to victims, Rev Odei-Appiah said in the Assembly’s scheme relief was one of the last things they considered because their aim was to prevent disasters.

“At our municipality, the Municipal Chief Executive heads the disaster management committee and has taken key interest in preventing disasters by accepting some proposals from our department to ensure that disasters are controlled or prevented.”

He, however, noted that if all measures were put in place and the disasters occurred, the Assembly would provide relief items to victims.

“We are prepared as an Assembly to extend some of these relief items to victims, but we do not buy and stock the items. Should the disaster strike the Assembly has an agreement with some suppliers to provide such items.”