A member of the Presidential Task Force on floods has debunked the assertion that government did little to avert the devastating effects of floods in 2011. The task force was constituted last year by President John Mills after a similar flood had consumed human beings and their properties. The committee was tasked to ascertain the major causes of floods in Accra and to proffer credible recommendations to resolve the crisis. A year later, another flood struck - Tuesday night - with an even more heart-wrenching effect, raising questions as to whether the task force has been up to the task. The death toll, according to the National Disaster Management Organisation boss, Kofi Portuphy has risen to nine from a previous five, reported early on in the day. But speaking to Joy News’ Dzifa Bampoh a member of the Presidential Task Force mounted a vehement defence saying the task force has done enough to mitigate the effects of the floods. Afotey Agbo who is also a Member of Parliament for Kpone Katamanso said government had taken judicious steps to construct bigger drains and to de-silt all of them. He said the government is ready to construct a bridge at Kpone at a cost of ¢4 million to facilitate the smooth flow of rain water. He said with his own funds, he acquired an excavator to de-silt a large drainage system in the area. He commended the Ashaiman MCE for taking steps to resolve some of the challenges that came to the fore in last year’s floods - measures which have mitigated the flood situation in the same area in 2011. Afoty Agbo said with these efforts “nobody can blame government for not taking steps to mitigate the devastating effects of the floods.” He said as a “listening government” President Mills led a team Wednesday morning to ascertain the seriousness of the floods and to assuage the pain of the victims. Meanwhile, NPP MP for Weija Ayorkor Botway is lamenting the wreck left behind by the flood. Describing the flood as unprecedented, she said her constituency is near chaos. According to her, two lives have been lost - a mother and her baby - after a fence collapsed on them, with the surroundings left in total chaos. She appealed to NADMO officials to come to their aid.