The Member of Parliament for Weija-Gbawe, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, has blamed widespread encroachment on wetlands and waterways for the recurring floods in his constituency, warning that illegal developments have significantly worsened the impact of heavy rains.
Tthe MP said extensive construction on Ramsar sites and natural water channels has left floodwaters with nowhere to flow, resulting in widespread destruction across the constituency.
According to him, areas that were once protected wetlands have been overtaken by residential and commercial developments despite efforts to stop the encroachment.
“There is nothing like a Ramsar site, but as we speak, around the Pambros Ramsar area, the whole place has been encroached, and when you go there, it’s a whole town,” he said.
Mr. Shaib claimed that several major companies and private developers had put up structures within the wetlands, questioning why authorities had failed to enforce planning regulations.
“There are major companies there, and they actually feel very powerful, and I do not know who is empowering them,” he stated.
The legislator recalled that President John Dramani Mahama, during a visit to the area last year, directed that a committee be established to address the encroachment, but said no action has been taken since then.
“When the President visited, I was so excited about the fact that he had given directions that let’s form a committee and then let us take care of those encroachments. But as we speak, I do not know what is happening,” he said.
Mr. Shaib argued that the illegal developments are obstructing the natural flow of water and increasing the severity of flooding in surrounding communities.
“You are building in waterways. They fill the place to the brim, building in a manner that whenever there is rain, they are never affected, but all the other people are affected, and we are watching,” he lamented.
The MP called for urgent government intervention to reclaim the affected wetlands and remove unauthorized structures, insisting that tackling the encroachment is critical to finding a lasting solution to flooding in the constituency.
He also urged the media to investigate the extent of development on the Ramsar sites, describing the situation as a major contributor to the perennial flooding affecting Weija-Gbawe.
