President Akufo-Addo inspecting the Odaw drain at Circle
The President,
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, yesterday inspected dredging in the Odaw River to
ensure the free flow of rainwater now that the rainy season has dawned and
instances of flooding experienced in parts of Accra.
He was satisfied
with the quality of work being done by Dredge Masters, which has been
contracted to undertake the assignment.
The Managing Director of the company, Captain
Khan, explained the nature of the dredging exercise to the President, which is
intended to transform both the Odaw River and the Korle Lagoon to modern water
bodies for tourist and business activities in the long-term.
At the time of
his arrival, the President saw workers busily dredging the plastic and
debris-choked water body, which serves as a major channel for rainwater from
most parts of Accra and beyond.
When it is choked
with filth as it is now, the free flow of rainwater is hindered, resulting in
floods in most parts of the city.
Dredge Masters started work after the June 3
Circle disaster, which claimed many lives.
The company was awarded the contract for a
two-year period under the previous Mahama administration to dredge the Odaw
drainage and modernize the Korle Lagoon under the Accra Sanitary Sewer Storm Drainage
Alleviation Project.
President
Akufo-Addo renewed the contract for a further two-year period commencing from
last February.
The scope of the
work includes a redesign and construction of the Klerp interceptor and
breakwater.
The channel under review starts from the Odaw
Onyasia confluence at Carprice in Accra, through Avenor, Kwame Nkrumah Interchange,
Agbogbloshie, South Kaneshie drain and the Upper and Lower Lagoon areas
notorious for flooding.
Operations Manager of Dredge Masters, Engineer
Sena Adiepena, said since the renewal of the contract, over 1 million cubic metres
of dredged materials had been removed from the channel and lagoon.
Encroachers
and squatters disrupted the dredging activities until the police and the Accra
Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) were called in to eject them.
Prior to the commencement of dredging
operations, Engineer Adiepena revealed that encroachers and squatters along the
drains had to be removed with the assistance of AMA and the Ghana Police
Service.
He commended the two bodies for their support.
Adiepena said Dredge Masters Limited was
working day and night to restore the drainage efficiency and holding capacity
of the channel and lagoon to avert any flooding during this year’s rainy
season.
The President also inspected ongoing works at
the Kaneshie First Light project site.
George Asiedu told him that they were constructing a 630-metre storm drain to check severe flooding in areas like Obetsebi Lamptey Circle, Kaneshie Market and the Kaneshie First Light.
By A.R. Gomda
The post President Inspects Odaw Dredging appeared first on DailyGuide Network.
