Government is looking to reconstruct some major drains in the capital, Accra to avert severe effects of flooding. It is also hopeful that Ghanaians will adhere to proper sanitation practices and avoid dumping waste into the drains to enable it contain rushing water.
This was revealed by the Greater Accra Regional minister, Ishmael Ashitey on Friday after touring sites of major drains earmarked to be dredged this year. According to the minister, the project was in a bid to reduce the incidents of flooding due to choked drains.
He told Citi News “…now at first hand we are seeing some of the projects. You cannot construct a one mile drain and leave it there, but as time goes on, we can build the drain to a certain point and continue as we have funds then eventually we complete the drains.”
“In some places we need drains, but drains are not there. They’ve dug the place and water is flowing, when rain falls, sand goes in and fills it up and that is where we need to find money to address,” he said. The Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mohammed Adjei Sowah noted that the dredging exercise will be a temporary solution to the flooding problem saying that the ultimate solution will be to construct proper drains throughout the city to prevent silt from blocking parts of major drains.
He added that he will collaborate with the regional minister to seek support from the appropriate ministry for the construction of full drains able to hold rushing water whenever it rains. He suggested that a waste to cash mechanism will be introduced to encourage Ghanaians to trade their waste for money rather dump them into open drains.
He added that, “I’m also appealing to Ghanaians that we should change our habits, this is country, this is Accra, we should be dumping our refuse into the drains. That is not the best thing to do,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Operations Manager for Dredge Masters, the company contracted to dredge the drains, Sena Adiepena said about 22 drains have been identified to be desilted as part of the emergency project. He said although no timeline had been given for the completion of the project, the company hopes to complete the project within 2 months ahead of the rainy season.
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