The Works and Housing Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has admitted that government is behind schedule in implementing measures to address the persistent flooding in the capital.
The Ofoase Ayeribi MP expressed that the flooding situation has been one of his major concerns since his move to the Housing Ministry.
“When the rains start here in Accra, you start getting palpitations because you start worrying, knowing very well that due to the inadequacy of the work done so far compared to the increasing pressure, there will be challenges,” he said on JoyNews’ PM Express on Wednesday.
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah added that during heavy downpours, he tries to understand how severe the situation is on the ground, how much of the work can contain it, and what needs to be done in the short to medium term.
“It is a challenge. As I’ve said on a number of occasions, we are behind schedule on putting in place the kind of infrastructure that is required. So within the constraints, we’re trying to do our best,” he stated.
Last week, as part of the government’s efforts to strengthen flood resilience in communities along the Odaw River basin, the Housing Minister broke ground for the reconstruction of the Nima-Paloma storm drain, which runs from Asylum Down to the Odaw Channel.
“This significant milestone is expected to help reduce the perennial flooding challenges in Accra and bring much-needed relief to residents, commuters, traders, and businesses.”
Mr Oppong Nkrumah also disclosed at the ceremony that the government’s newly launched Flood Early Warning System would be ready ahead of the next rainy season.
“While structural interventions alone cannot completely eradicate the flooding challenges in Accra, the Ministry of Works and Housing, in collaboration with the Ghana Hydro Authority, Water Resources Commission, Ghana Meteorological Agency, and NADMO through the GARID Project, is establishing a flood early warning system for the Greater Accra Region. The early warning system will provide advanced notification of impending floods to residents in flood-prone communities so they can take steps to protect lives and properties ahead of a flooding event.”
The Minister confirmed that Parliament has approved $250 million for the GARID Project.
“The Project deals with one out of about eight or so channels in the Greater Accra Region that convey high volumes of water out of the capital when it rains. That money was supposed to be top-up money to help pay for some previously unfunded parts of the program and to pay for some price variation,” he said.
He added that in the next three weeks, the Ministry will hand over the storm drains in Kaneshie to the contractor to start work.
“Kaneshie is one of the areas which has high volumes of water coming in. If you look at the kind of drains that were constructed initially and the technology that was used, it requires some more expansion and depth. If it’s not done, there will be flooding at Kaneshie every time it rains, especially from the bank quarters intersection.
“Additionally, we’ve got retention ponds that we need to build just under the Aburi Mountain so that they can hold a lot more water and then discharge it out of Accra.”
He is hopeful that more progress will be made to ease the flooding situation as some of the money for the project has been made available.