The Minister for Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye has reassured Ghanaians that government will continue to deploy the needed resources and intensify its efforts to ensure that the country is resilient to the effects of climate change and its associated incidence of flooding.
He said with about GHC450 million spent under the 2018 and 2020 National Flood Control Programme (NFCP), to mitigate perennial flooding especially in Accra, the sector Minister disclosed the government’s resolve to further address the problem.
He added that the implementation of both the 2022 NFCP programme as well as the GARID Project, will have an overall objective of mitigating flood risk as well addressing the challenges associated with solid waste management.
Addressing the media in Accra yesterday, Mr. Asenso-Boakye disclosed that NFCP has seen flood mitigation measures being implemented in several communities in Kuntunse Satellite, Achimota Mile 7, Katamanso, Mamprobi, Abeka-Ayigbe Town, Larbadi Olympia, Tse-Addo, Teshie Yoomo Specs, and Nungua (United Church Area).
Other communities are Haatso, Madina Firestone, Madina Mayehot, Madina Redco, Madina Oblogo, Dome Crossing, A Lang, Santa Maria (Plus FM and Washing Bay Area), Mallam-Gbawe, Weija GEICCEL, Kasoa Iron City, Kasoa Obom and Ashaiman, among others communities across the country.
As part of the numerous projects under the GARID Project, Mr. Asenso-Boakye explained that the Ministry will be adopting an innovative approach towards the existing dredging routine known as performance-based dredging, where a contractor will be paid primarily according to performance of the drainage channel and not simply by the volumes dredged.
“Currently, the procurement process for the engagement of a Contractor for the Performance-Based dredging of the Odaw channel is far advanced and the Ministry anticipates that by the end of this month, the contract will be signed, and commencement date announced,” the Minister added.
Having completed the detailed engineering designs for the construction of priority drainage interventions at Kaneshie, Nima and Achimota, the sector Minister expressed optimism about the commencement of structural interventions of the GARID project by the end of the year 2022.
Other important interventions include the construction of retention ponds in Atomic area to hold large volumes of water which would have otherwise flowed towards the city centre to cause flooding. Construction of the ponds are expected to commence by the end of the year.
We cannot overlook the importance of our drainage infrastructure in ensuring that the country is resilient to the effects of climate change, now, and in the future.
Touching on measures being undertaken to alleviate the daunting effects of flooding and its impact on lives, livelihoods and properties, Asenso-Boakye indicated plans by government to install Flood Early Warning System (FEWS) in flood prone areas to give advance notice for people to take steps to protect their lives and their valuables.
“The designs for FEWS for Accra have been completed and the processes leading to the engagement of a service provider to deliver it have commenced,” he added.
Mr. Asenso-Boakye in his closing remarks reiterated the need for Ghanaians to also support government in its quest to find a lasting solution to the flooding problem.
He said whereas government continues to invest in the construction and maintenance of critical drainage infrastructure, every well-meaning Ghanaian needs to exercise more responsibility for their safety and be mindful of how they dispose of solid waste so as to reduce constrictions to drainage capacity and minimize the risk of storm water overflow and flooding in flood prone areas of the country.
