The circle interchange project collapses due to engineering defects

By: Darko, Sampson K N

The “nocturnal beauty circle interchange” is beset with some major engineering defects which may eventually mar the 75 million euro project if these defects are not corrected on time.

Construction of this project was done by Queiroz Galvao S. A of Brazil with FAS consult Ltd, a Ghanaian Civil Engineering consulting Firm as its consultant and the Department of Urban Roads as the representative of Ghana government.

In spite of these giant institutions playing the supervisory role over the construction work and the sum of tax payers money (€ 75,000,000.00) involved, the Kwame Nkrumah Circle Interchange is in the state of quagmire.

Baseline information available at the project site is an indication of the fact that:

1. No proper Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was conducted over the project before its commencement.

2. The EIA was not properly integrated into the project cycle

3. The lanes were not properly laid

4. Some adjoining places to the project such as the: Nungua, Madina, Kaneshie, Nima, Achimota stations are left bare

5. The entire project lacks underground sullage conveyer drains

6. Open drains around the project were not covered

Dangers associated with the above listed challenges are:

1. Rain water will always carry mud and waste from the open spaces around the project site onto the asphaltic lanes which can impede smooth vehicular movement.

2. Siltation will always occur on the road which shall require additional cost to be desilted on daily or weekly basis.

3. Lack of underground sullage conveyer drains will lead to a rainwater runoff on the asphaltic lanes which will eventually cause the development of potholes.

4. Continuous stagnation of runoffs around the project site can cause the supporting pillars to sink in micro meters and as a result the overhead lanes can tilt and disaster will strike.

5. Pedestrians and hawkers have resorted to dumping solid waste into the open drains and this as a result have mar the aesthetics of the projects.

Government of Ghana must callback the engineers Queiroz Galvao S. A to site to come and correct all the identified engineering defects so that the Kwame Nkrumah Circle Interchange (a.k.a Dubai) can properly be commissioned

Sampson K N Darko

(MSc Environmental Science Policy and Management)