TAKE STEPS TO AVERT FLOODING IN TAMALE (PAGE 29)

THE rainy season is with us again,and as usual it will bring flooding and the resultant destruction of life and property in the Tamale metropolis.
It is baffling that this perennial occurrence is allowed to continue without much effort by the people and appropriate authorities to contain it.
What is even more disheartening is the activities of some residents, who wantonly dump garbage and sand into the well-designed drains, inhibiting the free flow of water.
This blatant show of indiscipline and flouting of the assembly's by-laws contribute significantly to the flooding of most communities in the metropolis.
Other causes include the construction of structures on water courses, the use of low quality building materials and the failure by some residents to plant trees around their surroundings to serve as wind breaks during storms.
Last year for instance, more than 300 houses had their roofs ripped off by the heavy storms that occurred during the rainy period.
It took the intervention of the government and some charitable individuals and organisations to ameliorate the plight of the victims.
What the assembly would need to do this time round is to embark on massive educational campaigns through the various radio stations on the importance of practising good hygiene and strict compliance with the assembly's by-laws before the onset of this year's rainy season.
More storm drains should also be constructed, especially at notable flood prone low land areas, to improve on flood control and sanitation in the metropolis.
According to the Metropolitan Co-ordinating Director of the assembly, Alhaji Mohammed Adam Baba, the Department of Urban Roads awarded contract to some individuals some months ago to distill the major drains in the city but some residents were still dumping waste materials and gravel into the drains inspite of the huge amounts of monies being paid to the contractors.
Alhaji Baba advised the people not to be passive but must form watchdog committees to bring such recalcitrant members of their respective communities to book.