Jerry Ahmed Shaib, the member of parliament for Weija-Gbawe, has warned that unlawful developments have greatly exacerbated the effects of heavy rains, blaming massive encroachment on wetlands and waterways for the frequent floods in his area.
Speaking in an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show on July 3, 2026, following the June 29 floods, the MP said heavy building on Ramsar sites and natural water courses has left floodwaters with nowhere to travel, resulting in catastrophic destruction across the constituency.
He claims that despite efforts to resist the encroachment, residential and commercial projects have taken over areas that were formerly protected wetlands.
“There is nothing like a Ramsar site, but as we speak, around the Pambros Ramsar area, the whole place has been encroached, and when you go there, it’s a whole town,” he said.
Mr. Shaib questioned why authorities had not enforced planning restrictions, claiming that a number of large corporations and private developers had built structures inside the wetlands.
“There are major companies there, and they actually feel very powerful, and I do not know who is empowering them,” he stated.
The member recalled that President John Dramani Mahama, during a visit to the area last year, recommended that a committee be established to handle the encroachment, but stated no action has been taken since then.
“When the President visited, I was so excited about the fact that he had given directions that let’s form a committee and then let us take care of those encroachments. But as we speak, I do not know what is happening,” he said.
Mr. Shaib contended that the unauthorised developments are blocking the natural flow of water and increasing the severity of flooding in adjacent towns.
“You are building in waterways. They fill the place to the brim, building in a manner that whenever there is rain, they are never affected, but all the other people are affected, and we are watching,” he reiterated.
The MP maintained that addressing the encroachment is essential to finding a long-term solution to flooding in the constituency and called for immediate government action to reclaim the impacted wetlands and remove unauthorised constructions.
He also urged the media to explore the level of construction on the Ramsar sites, citing the situation as a key contributor to the perennial flooding afflicting Weija-Gbawe.
Source: newsthemegh.com