RESIDENTS URGED TO BE ON THE ALERT (PAGE 18)

The Tema Metropolitan Office of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), has called on people who reside in disaster prone areas in the metropolis to be on the alert and inform the security agencies of any danger of flooding for protection.
He said although the situation was not alarming in the Tema metropolis, the organisation was concerned about the problems the rains had caused in some communities.
In order to mitigate the effects of any catastrophe, NADMO and the Tema office of the Information Services Department (ISD), have sent public announcements to those areas to caution the residents to be aware of possible danger.
Areas where the announcements were made included the Tema Newtown, Community 20 and Community 5.
The Tema Office Co-ordinator of NADMO,Mr Joseph Dennis Abraham- Reynolds, told the Daily Graphic in Tema that the walls of drains at the Tema Newtown which collapsed as a result of the pressure from run-off and erosion, had created a situation of flooding in the area.
He said a team from his office and the Tema Metropolitan Assembly Maintenance Section had inspected the drainage and were putting together materials to rectify the situation.
Mr Abraham -Reynolds said another source of flooding was the rivers Onukpa Wahe and Mamahuma, which flowed into the residential community 20 area and fed with water from the Akwapim ridge.
He said the flooding of the two rivers could have devastating consequences for the people in the community.
The Metropolitan Co-ordinator of NADMO said the two rivers flowed under bridges on the motorway.
Mr Abraham- Reynolds cautioned people in the flood prone areas in the metropolis to avoid standing near fence walls and in eroded levels to avoid being harmed by any collapsing structure.
He reiterated that though the situation was not alarming, residents must take precautions against future occurrences and avoid indiscriminate dumping of constructional debris and waste materials into watercourse to avoid blockage of the sewer lines and drains .
Mr Abraham -Reynolds appealed to residents to adhere strictly to sanitation rules to save lives and property, warning that with more rains being expected as predicted by the meteorological department, residents must ensure that they did the right things.