The Assembly Member for Bornikope Electoral Area in the Ada West District based in Greater Accra Region, Lawrence Katey Nunekpeku, has stated that the activities in the Ada Songor Lagoon by Electrochem Ghana Limited; a salt winning company are the major causes of flood in the area.
Andrews Narh Akrofi, a resident in Ajumanikope also attributed the recent flooding in the area to a poor work he described by the Electrochem Ghana Limited on roads at the Ada Songor Lagoon enclave adding that the situation will be worst in June when there will be heavy downpours if the problem has not been solved now.
These comments followed a deluge that stormed some towns in the Ada West District on the night of Wednesday, 28 April 2022 that has submerged the entire Ajumanikopey Electoral Area.
Lawrence Katey who detailed the cause of the torrential rain said, since the lease of the Ada Songor Lagoon to the company (Electrochem Ghana Limited), his Electoral Area has begun to experience series of flood incidents in this year as a result of the company’s attempt to construct and recondition existing roads that were constructed by a previous investor.
“The Lagoon is the only facility to control the detrimental effects of the flood, so the previous investor managed to create a drainage in order to pave way for the water to settle in one of the sections in the lagoon, but the construction of roads around the Songor Lagoon by the current investor has blocked the water ways which causes flood,” he explained.
Speaking in his capacity as an Assembly Member for the affected area, he said “I served the mining company and National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) notice in November 2021 on the situation. They came in February with the Civil Engineer to access the situation and accepted blocking the ways which the company assured that they will construct a water way but they are unable to fulfil this which is resulting in what are experiencing today”
Mr. Lawrence also revealed that Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not conducted environmental impact assessment to ascertain the work of the company and to issue certificate that in effect will allow the company to operate in the lagoon.
He has therefore called on Land Commission and the EPA to assess the work and the concession leased to the investor.
“Ever since Electrochem commenced work in the area, we have not seen EPA’s certificate that allows the company to operate and they have not come to check the work of the company, so I will call on the EPA to act. I will also appeal to the Lands Commission to conduct a search on the concession leased to investor and how the activity is affecting surrounding communities,” the Assembly Member appealed.
BY: Nicholas Tetteh A.