Minister for Works and housing Samuel Atta-Akyea has revealed that government has allocated $200 million to fix the flooding challenges around the Odaw areas.
Speaking on Accra based Asempa FM and monitored by Abc News Ghana, the Minister stated that government had, through the World Bank’s Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development project (GARID), secured an amount of 200 million dollars to improve the drainage system around the Odaw vicinity. The Minister announced that there are bigger plans by government to begin a project by the last quarter of 2020 which includes desilting, dredging and the construction of concrete subterranean drains to curb the flooding challenges.
Atta-Akyea revealed that government and its development partners will soon take a concrete decision on the Odaw river after advise from Engineers.
Circle interchange was a misplaced priority – Atta Akyea
The Minister further referred to former President Mahama’s decision to build an interchange at the Kwame Nkrumah circle as a case of misplaced priority.
Atta-Akyea explained that the former government ought to have considered solving the perennial problem of flooding. Atta-Akyea believes that the Mahama administration did not construct the circle interchange out of the genuine need for an interchange in the area but rather for political expediency. He chastised the Mahama administration for constructing an interchange when there were real issues to be addressed on dealing with the challenge of flooding caused by dirt.
He however assured that government is committed to fixing the current drainage problems around the area by constructing a subterranean drainage system; a Ghana without open drains.
Atta-Akyea also stated that government is undertaking similar projects with the South Kaneshie, Nungua, Kpong, Otiniboe, Kumasi Aboabo, and other areas all in its bid to promote the drainage system across the country.
Source: www.ABCNewsgh.com