Minister-designate for Works and Housing, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, has instructed the Ghana Hydrological Authority to accelerate drainage projects nationwide.
The Minister’s directive aims to lessen the potential impact of heavy rains on communities in flood-prone areas.
He issued this directive while inspecting ongoing dredging operations in the Odaw River Basin and flood mitigation efforts in various communities including Alogboshie, Kasoa-Iron City, and Weija and its environs on Saturday, March 9, 2024.
“For us, one of the key things is the speed of work. We want to be clear that our contractors need to ensure that they deliver on time or sometimes as quickly as possible ahead of schedule,” he stated.
Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, along with key officials from the Ministry and its agencies, including Dr. Kwadwo Ohene Sarfoh, Project Coordinator at GARID, and Dr. John Kisi, CEO of the Ghana Hydrological Authority, inspected various drainage projects in Accra aimed at addressing perennial flooding issues.
These projects, under the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) and the Ghana Hydrological Authority, are part of the government’s National Flood Control Programme (NFCP) to mitigate flooding in Accra. The government has committed approximately GH¢450 million to these efforts.
Dredging works on the Odaw River have been ongoing for about two weeks, with Dredge Masters tasked with removing solid waste along a 10-kilometre stretch to improve flood risk and solid waste management. Additionally, storm drain construction is underway in various communities as part of GARID’s Community Upgrade Programme, aimed at enhancing resilience to flooding and improving infrastructure.
During the inspection, Mr Oppong-Nkrumah emphasized the importance of adequate engagement with affected persons to ensure they are duly compensated for the construction works. He also stressed the need for beneficiary assemblies to take responsibility for the regular maintenance of the drainage systems to maximize their benefits and mitigate flooding risks.
The Minister-designate announced plans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry and local assemblies to ensure the regular maintenance of these drains, emphasizing the importance of maintaining and improving drainage infrastructure for community safety and well-being.