Akufo-Addo inspects GAMA's Kaneshie storm drain construction works

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Tuesday, inspected ongoing dredging works on the Odaw river, and the construction of a storm drain at Kaneshie First Light in Accra.

The Kaneshie First Light storm drain project is aimed at helping to alleviate the perennial flooding at the place. 

The project is being implemented under the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources by the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) Sanitation and Water Project.

The Project is being funded by the World Bank.

Accompanied by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Ishmael Ashitey; Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah; Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama; and the Mayor of Accra, Mohammed Adjei Sowah, President Akufo-Addo first visited the Kwame Nkrumah Circle.

The site engineer on site, Mr. Wise Ametefe, told President Akufo-Addo that the dredging works currently ongoing are not limited to the Odaw River only, but to the Korle Lagoon and to the estuary.

Upon completion of the project, the site engineer stated that a number of recreational facilities will be constructed on the site of the Odaw River, as part of the Lower Korle Lagoon Redevelopment Project, and urged residents living around the River to desist from throwing refuse into the river, as it has made the process dredging quite difficult.

Mr. Wise Ametefe indicated further that dredging works will be done at Caprice, Avenor, and Agbogbloshie, all in Accra, and in the Korle Lagoon as well.

The site engineer assured President Akufo-Addo that the dredging of the Odaw River will be completed in 18 days’ time, to which the President retorted, “I will come back in 18 days to check”.

Photo: Ing. George Asiedu (extreme left), Project Coordinator of the GAMA Sanitation and Water Project, President Akufo-Addo and Cecilia Abena Dapaah, Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources at the Kaneshie First Light project site.

At Kaneshie First Light junction, where an emergency priority storm drain is being constructed, the project manager, Mr. George Asiedu, told the President that the 630-metre-long storm drain will help end the perennial flooding that occurs in Kaneshie and its environs.

“It is heartwarming to note that, after Monday’s heavy downpour, there was no flooding at Kaneshie and its environs, even though the work has not been completed. Indeed, the project should have been completed by 15th April, but it is now set to be completed in June this year,” Mr. Asiedu added.

Currently, there are some twenty-one (21) dredging and desilting works currently ongoing in Greater Accra. These include works ongoing at South Kaneshie, Sukura-Mampon, Mataheko, Kaneshie Highway, St Mary’s at Korle Gonno, Calypso Drain at Kpone Katamanso, Awudome, Kwashie Bu, Bale Down Stream, Castle Drain at Klottey Lagoon and Agbogbloshie.

The rest are at Avenor (Kofi Krom), North Kaneshie (CMB Flats), Amasaman Market Drain, Dansoman (Ave Maria), Opete Kwei (Pambros), Chemu Channel, Tetegu, SCC Junction, Muss (Ofankor), and Shiabu-Glefe.

Additionally, there are 11 storm drains currently under construction at Odawna, Abeka, First Light (Kaneshie), Madina Maye Hot, Gbawe Drain, Awoshie Mangoase, Sukura Mampon, Haatso, Morton International School, Awudome Down Stream, and North Industrial Area.