Self-inflicted disaster is looming around Klagon and Afienya in the Greater Accra Region because the flow of natural river bodies are being impeded by human activities.
The gravity of the act emanates from the fact that these river bodies are receptacles for large volume of water collections from the Akwapim range and Accra plains respectively.
The Mamahuma River, which crosses the Ashaiman Underpass-Lashibi road at Klagon in the Tema West Municipal Assembly (TWMA), has become blocked downstream before it empties into the Sakumo Lagoon.
It has been observed that some faceless supposedly powerful persons have in a calculated fashion been transporting construction waste materials from elsewhere and dumping them into the river to impede its natural water course, whilst some portions have completely been blockedwith impunity.
Those behind the ‘attack’ on the river body, whose objectivesare unknown, seem to derive power from elsewhere, as the statutory organisations responsible for checking the illegality turna blind eye to the wantom destruction of the river to pave way for infrastructural developments.
The Chronicle’s independent investigation has unravelled the true character of the Mamahuma river, tributaries, source and the extent of disaster in waiting.
The MamahumaRiver, home to ten agricultural dams, takes its source from Fafraha, bordering the southeastern part of the Akwapim range, flows through Adenta, the former Animal Husbandry area, where it crosses the Accra-Tema motorway to the north of Tema Communities 18, 19 and 20, where a major tributary, Onukpawahe River connects.
The Onukpawaheriver emerges from Madina (Maye Hot), through Ashalley Botwe and Trassaco Valley before crossing the motorway to link the main Mamahuma River to travel eastwards into the Sakumo lagoon, near the Meridian Ports Services (MPS) Terminal Three at the Port of Tema.
It is relevant to note that the perennial flooding of the motorway crossing by Mamahuma River is as a result of movements of huge volume of water contained in the Mile 18 stream at Spintex area,which crosses the expressway northward to join the Mamahuma River.
A Hydrologist and retired Director of the Hydrological Services Department of the Ministry of Works and Housing, Mr Wise Ametepe, speaking to this paper during the intense investigation said the only way the perennial flooding of that section of the motorway would stop is when a re-engineering of the Mile 18 Road stream takes place.
According to him, the volume of water the stream carries into the Mamahuma river and its attendant problems must be addressed.
Mr Ametepe continued that the backflow water, coupled with the debris in the culverts are a contributory factors.
He warned of the unimaginable disaster that would befall that enclave should any of these ten dams holding large volumes of water on the Mamahuma River collapse.
He added that activities of real estate developers are overtaking the vegetation outlay.
The National Disaster Management Organisation (Nadmo) Director at the Tema West Municipal Assembly, Mr Michael Don Larweh, when contacted by this paper stated that his outfit, upon learning of the illegal human activities blocking the free flow of the Mamahuma River had gone to stop the project being undertaken in the area.
Another river, Dzorwulu, whichflows into the Sakumo lagoon before the Atlantic Ocean, is also under threat.
Taking its source from the AburiMountain, the river travels through Oyibi and Katamanso in the KponeKatamanso Municipality and the agriculture dam at Ashaiman.
Downstream of the dam, the DzorwuluRiver merges with the Gbemi Creek from Michel Camp, cutting across Ashaiman, east to west, downstream of the dam before crossing the motorway.
South of the expressway, the encroachers are blocking the free flow of the river as though there is no tomorrow.
The independent investigation of human ‘attacks’ on the river bodies landed the spear of the nation at Dekye-Dor (hunter’s stream) before Afienyatownship from the south in the NingoPrampram District.
As though to call the bluff of the authorities, as the Hydrological Services Department of the Ministry of Works and Housing undertakes dredging of the stream, unknown persons are reclaiming the immediate banks of the river, purposely for real estate development.
Few years ago, a dam at Gbetsile situated on same river which takes its source from Appolonia collapsed, resulting in serious flooding of a number of adjoining communities, such as New Jerusalem, TOR Estates and Afienya among others.
On that stretch, the only surviving virgin water body is Laloi-Dor (Laloi river) north of Afienya township bordering the Ghana Airforce Flying School.
The Works Engineer at the NingoPrampram District Assembly, Mr Justin Glover, commenting on the lawlessness said the assembly and the police are teaming up for a clampdown on the persons engaged in the nefarious activities of dumping waste materials into the river.
An opinion leader, who preferred anonymity, speaking to this reporter, said it is unfortunate that people are doing everything possible to grab every available land in Tema and its environs, no matter where it is situated.
He minced no words saying that the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) and Tema Development Corporation (TDC) became the pacesetters in the craze for land grabbing in the port and industrial city, when these entities gave out all greenbelt zones earmarked to receive stranded population in the event of disaster in the metropolis.
He bemoaned the predicament of Ramsar sites near Communities 3, 5 and 10 which have seen heavy encroachments by developers.
The post Rivers in Accra gradually going extinct appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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