Despite the Ghana Meteorological Agency’s prediction of an increase in rainfall intensity, Accra’s flood problem continues to persist, with some buildings and roads, including major highways, submerged by floods during heavy downpours.
The situation is of great concern to analysts and development specialists who have warned that the city’s resilience against floods is dwindling.
According to the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA), the lack of action on the part of government agencies and local assemblies in finding lasting solutions to Accra’s flooding challenges is a major issue.
LUSPA’s Urban Development planner, Kekeli Kofi Amedzo, speaking to Citi News, lamented the lack of progress, saying that the authority is making efforts to monitor the district’s responsibilities, but more needs to be done in a collaborative manner between citizens, regulatory agencies, and engineering agencies.
“Though we are making efforts to help monitor the district at least regarding their responsibilities and all that, those challenges still remain, and we really have to work in network collaborative manner. We as citizens, the regulatory agencies as well as the engineering agencies that are supposed to help with drainage.”
“GARID is doing a great job. They are trying to assist but still, their issues about as I mentioned our attitude regarding land uses, and our environmental behavioural manner is still the same.”
The Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project, funded by the World Bank since its initiation in the aftermath of the June 3 flooding and fire disaster in Ghana, has been working to improve the country’s flood risk and solid waste management.
The project has been implementing structural measures such as constructing drains, improving and expanding drainage systems, and dredging the Odaw River basin.
Kodwo Keelson, a Drainage Engineer on the GARID project, explained that the project is using two strategies to improve the capital’s flood resilience.
“GARID is basically looking at 2 strategies. We have what we call the structural measure, which essentially moves the flooding water away from people and property. We also have the stage where we now rather move people away from. Is it to your move away the water from the people or property? They move people away. That’s the early warning system.”
GARID’s Solid Waste Management Specialist, Henrietta Osei-Tutu, disclosed efforts by GARID to improve waste management and sensitization efforts. “Waste flows the same way water flows. So, when it rains and you see waste in the Odaw at Circle, the waste may not have emanated from the Odaw, the waste may have travelled from Aburi along with Pantang, Madina and it gets into Odaw.”
The project has conducted a catchment-wide assessment to map the flow of waste and estimate the quantities that are collected and not collected.
According to Osei-Tutu, GARID works with existing institutions and mandates district assemblies to be in charge of solid waste management under their jurisdictions.
