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Govt urged not to neglect dredging of Odaw River
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Klottey Korle Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings has urged the government to take proactive measures to ameliorate dangers of impending flooding.
She noted that Parliament had approved funds for the dredging and desilting of drains in the country, especially the Odawna River to address predicted effects of floods, but the project remained neglected.
Dr Agyeman-Rawlings made the call when she toured areas affected by recent downpour in her constituency to assess situation first hand and also donated relief items to residents affected by the floods.
While affirming her commitment to the protection of lives and property of the constituents as embedded in her vision for Klottey Korle, she called on the government not to treat floods as perennial problem but an emergency that needed urgent solution and maintained that ” disaster management is multifaceted discipline that touched every aspect of human endeavour hence the need for the government to dredge Odaw River.”
Dr Agyeman-Rawlings, who is a member of Environment, Science and Technology Committee of Parliament, threatened to petition the President as the project had been neglected and people continue to lose their lives and properties anytime it rained, would hold state authorities responsible as obvious neglect of project was unacceptable, lives, livelihoods were being destroyed and was time the government stepped in and took necessary action.
“It is not enough for state agencies that have been legally mandated to oversee needs of people during such disasters to continue to pay lip service as people perish, for government officials to come around every year and say sorry to the people,” she stressed however, assured residents of “my commitment, determination and dedication to your safety as I follow up with appropriate authorities including presidency to ensure Odaw River is dredged for easy flow of rainwater to reduce floods.”
The MP pledged her continual education and sensitisation of residents, public, individual and collective responsibility to ameliorate effects of rains. -peacefmonline.com
News
National Cathedral: We can’t halt salary payments because project is on hold – Dr. Joyce Aryee
Dr. Joyce Aryee, a member of the National Cathedral’s board of trustees, has dismissed concerns about staff payments, including those of CEO Dr Paul Opoku-Mensah, during the construction halt as “ridiculous.”
Her response follows growing concerns over the project’s stalled progress and its impact on staff salaries.
Speaking on the sidelines of a symposium organized in collaboration with TD Jakes’ divinity school on Monday, October 14, Dr Aryee said, “If a project is on hold, it doesn’t mean that people are not working to keep it going. I’m surprised, I don’t even want to comment on it, as ridiculous as this. No, I won’t comment.
She further challenged the logic behind the concerns, adding, “So you establish an organisation, the organisation should stop because you don’t have money to continue a certain aspect of the organisation. Is that it? Answer it yourself.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Paul Opoku-Mensah, Executive Director of the National Cathedral, has sought to clarify misconceptions surrounding the project, emphasizing that it goes beyond being just a church building.
He highlighted the potential benefits the cathedral could bring, including revenue generation and showcasing Ghana’s rich cultural heritage to the world.
The National Cathedral project has faced strong opposition, with critics questioning the appropriateness of government involvement and raising concerns about a lack of financial transparency.
However, Dr. Opoku-Mensah remains optimistic, particularly following a symposium held in collaboration with TD Jakes’ divinity school. The event aimed to educate the public about the broader functions of the cathedral.
Envisioned as a historic landmark, the cathedral is intended to serve as a sacred space for religious activities. Additionally, it will feature Africa’s first Museum of the Bible, a collaboration with the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.
“The symposium is just conceived as the National Cathedral’s response to what in Ghana we perceive to be the return initiatives and offer a pathway mediated by faith to connecting Ghana to the African diaspora,” she said.
This collaboration will seek to develop a Pan-African community to collectively work to address historical, racial and contemporary of Africa’s contributions to theology practice.
She said, “We seek to demonstrate the conveying functions of the National Cathedral, the National Cathedral project is often misunderstood, conceived almost entirely as a physical church building. The National Cathedral is more than a church and it includes critical national, continental and global conversations.”He congratulated TD Jakes’ divinity school for taking students across the African continent.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
News
NPP-NDC clash at Mamobi: One person arrested
One person has been arrested in Connection with the clash involving members of the New Patriotic Party(NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) at Mamobi in Accra on Sunday.
“The Ghana Police Service wishes to assure the general public that investigation into the disturbances that occurred between supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at Mamobi in Accra, yesterday, Sunday 13th October 2024, is still ongoing,” the police revealed in a statement today.
They concluded, “So far, one person has been arrested in connection with the incident and the Police are working around the clock to get all identified perpetrators arrested to face justice.”
