The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has announced its intention to dredge and construct concrete walls along the banks of the River Tano to help prevent recurrence of flooding within Samreboi in the Western Region.
Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the EPA, who announced this said the primary cause of the incident was because the Tano River which ran beside the community had overflowed its banks.
Samreboi and its surrounding communities were submerged by floodwaters for days following a heavy downpour on June 14, 2026, causing the Tano and Samre Rivers to overflow their banks.
The incident resulted in the collapse of buildings and displacement of several residents and disrupted their social lives.
However, Prof Klutse during a visit to the community after the floodwaters had receded to assess the extent of impact and cause of the flooding in the area said: “We have observed that the banks are already compromised, therefore, further rains could cause another flood, as we see currently at the Tano River.
“What the EPA intends to do is not just to dredge the river to improve flow, since it is blocked at several points, but also to restore the banks, so we plan to construct concrete walls to reinforce the banks, especially near the community or sections close to the community, to prevent further flooding.”
She reiterated the Authority’s stance against illegal mining (galamsey) activities on water bodies and warned those involved to desist from such acts.
“It remains illegal to Mine or pollute our rivers, and so as we work to clear debris and silt, we do not expect anyone to continue illegal mining or activities that block the rivers,” the EPA CEO noted.
Madam Priscilla Yorke, the Amenfi West Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), advised the affected individuals to stay away from their homes, noting that the Assembly would conduct assessment to determine the structural integrity of their buildings before allowing them to return.
