Ghana is set to rehabilitate the Odaw River drain near Achimota in Accra following reports on life-threatening condition of the drain.
Head of Hydrological Services Department Mr Herbert Owusu -Ansah announced the reports and said that the department is concluding arrangements to have the deteriorated 400-metre part of the stretch fixed with construction stones to prevent further erosion of the area.
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Odaw River drain
Head of Drains Unit, Mr Seth Kudzordzi explained that the drain constructed over two decades ago, has weakened and unable to accommodate the pressure of the river during rains due to lack of maintenance.
More than 10 large slabs on both sides of the drain had collapsed into the river, impeding free flow of the river. There were cracks in some of the existing slabs which could deepen and collapse sooner than later. The last flood has left its marks on the walls of neighboring buildings, including the GH Media School.
He pointed out that the collapsed drain and the base slabs that have dislocated would be removed from the river part of the project. Construction works is expected to be completed within two months time before the next major rainyseason. Phase one of the project, among other things, seeks to mitigate flooding in the Odaw River basin through the construction and rehabilitation of drainage systems and bridges.
The damaged portions of the entire Odaw drain would be reconstructed under the recently authorised US $37m Ghana Accra Resilient Integrated Development (GARID) Project funded by the World Bank.
