Odaw River will be dredged before rains sets in again- Minister

The Works and Housing Minister, Mr Samuel Atta Kyea, have said that dredging of the Odaw River will commence before rains sets in again to curb over flooding in its surrounding areas.

With regards to the Odaw River, which has been causing perennial flooding in most parts of the nation’s capital Accra, he said that channel improvement works has commenced by creating channels where channels are undefined.

“Evacuation to create channels in areas where channels are undefined, dredging and desalting of silted channels works have commenced and are ongoing on some of the drains. While others contractors are mobilizing to commence works,” he said.

He was addressing parliament today on the measures being put in place as the rains sets in to avoid the reoccurrence of last Sundays floods.

Mr Kyea added that contractors have started work in areas like Agbogba, Achiemota, Lagon, West land, Pantang, Haatso, Kwabenya and Oyarifa.

“Works has commenced and are ongoing on some of the drains, while other contractors are mobilizing to commence work,” he said.

 He said that some of the main tributaries of the Odaw River such as the South Kaneshie drains, Onyasi drain, Mapso drain and Nima drain are to be desalted before the rains sets in.

He added that the lower section of the Odaw channel is the most critical in the flood management of the Odaw there the ministry has taken steps to clean the channel ahead of the 2019 rains.