WORLD BANK VOTES $24 MILLION FOR ACCRA DRAINAGE

The World Bank has earmarked US$ 24 million for major drainage in improvement works and flood control measures for Accra.

This is to complement the $28 million loan recently granted the government by the Kuwaiti Fund and other funding agencies for the dredgeing of the Korle-Bu Lagoon

The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. David Amankwah, who announced this in a statement he delivered in Parliament yesterday on the flood that hit Accra last week Tuesday, said the drainage improvement project will take off early next year..

A consultant to prepare contract and bid documents aappointment about two months ago.

Mr. Amankwah named the target areas for the project as North Kaneshie Mateheko, Nima and from the Kwame Nkrumah Circle to Achimota part of the Odaw River.

The minister, who gave a catalogue of causes leading to the perennial flooding of Accra, said the present channel capacity is woefully inadequate mainly due to accelerated siltation caused by improper land use practices in the Odaw catchment, leading to blockage at various sections crossing point.

Added to this, he said secondary tertiary and road-side drains and gutters are silted and thus cannot effectively drain into the Odaw River.