The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Atta says some of the historic mahogany trees along the road leading into the Sandema Township in the Builsa North Municipality of the Upper East Region will be cut off to solve the perennial flooding in the area.
The mahogany trees on both sides of the road, start from the Apipi junction through the Township to the Sandema Old Primary School at Suwarinsa, a community in the Municipality.
“It may be necessary to cut down some of these trees, we all know the importance of trees, and is not for pleasure that we should cut down some of these trees.
“But if we want to deal with the problem, build strong good roads, widen and raise the topography here, to avoid this perennial experiences, some of these trees must go,” the Minister said.
Mr Amoako-Atta who paid a working visit to the Sandema Municipality to inspect the extent of damage caused by recent floods in the area, said that “The appropriate steps will be taken.”
The Minister noted that the trees had some traditional and customary importance to the traditional authorities and the people of Buluk.
“We are aware of that, and we will not just come here one day and start cutting the trees. We shall have the right conversation with our revered Chiefs here, the opinion leaders and the people in Sandema,” he said.
Mr Amoako-Atta emphasized that there would be proper engagement with the Chiefs and people of Buluk and the Technical team from the Ministry on the need to cut down some of the trees.
According to him, felling some of the trees would be “In our common interest to save life and property. We will take steps to resolve this issue once and for all,” the Sector Minister, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Atiwa West Constituency assured the people of Buluk.
The Minister described the distraction on the portion of the road leading into the Township as dangerous, saying “With the next heavy rainfall, there will be a total washout, covering almost a distance of a kilometre up to Sandema Township.
“It is a dangerous, terrible situation that must be salvaged as quickly as practicable. We are experiencing this type of rainfall with great intensity in the Upper West, Upper East, Northern Regions and perhaps North East.
“I am told that this type of rainfall was last experienced in this area at least over 35years ago. So for the past one and half months, I have being touring these Regions with my Technical team from national and across these Regions,” he said.
Mr Amoako-Atta assured the people of the Buluk and the entire Region that “Government will be up to the task, and attaches seriousness to the disasters which nobody had control over.”
Mr Stephen Yakubu, the Upper East Regional Minister told the GNA during the visit, that the perennial flooding had been experienced in the Builsa North Municipality for several years, “No government dealt with it, the Akufo-Addo’s government wants to deal with it.”
He called on the people of the area to recognise the efforts by the government to deal with the flooding problem in the area and said it was a plus to government, “This is also an issue that Builsa should recognise,” he added.
GNA