Gov’t developing comprehensive response to tackle floods

Government is developing a comprehensive response to tackle the perennial floods in Accra, Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a meeting with a number of the country’s development partners at the Flagstaff House in Accra, Vice President Amissah-Arthur said the Odaw and other major drains in the capital are being dredged to enhance the free-flow of water into the sea.

The objective of the meeting was to update the development partners on measures being taken by government since the June 3, floods and fire disaster.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur also disclosed that seven more dead bodies have been found in the drains in addition to the 152 victims President John Dramani Mahama announced at the National Thanks Giving Service at the State House.

He said there are 34 in-patients with various degrees of burns in four hospitals, including the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, 37 Military Hospital, Police Hospital and the Ridge Hospital.

Besides, about 70 out-patients also visit the hospitals daily for dressing of their wounds.

Mr Wise Ametefe, the former Deputy Director of the Hydrological Services Department, who gave a PowerPoint presentation on the drainage systems in Accra, said the siltation of the Odaw channel and the blockage of the Nima underground drain by rubbish compounded the floods at the Nkrumah Circle and the Goil Filling Station.

He said other floods in parts of Accra were as a result of localized problem such as obstruction, undersize culverts or bridges and buildings in waterways.

He said the city authorities had sent excavators to dredge the Odaw channel as well as the interceptor on the Korle lagoon to ensure that the gates were opened to allow free-flow of water into the sea.

Mr Ametefe also said desilting of the Odaw drain from the Korle Lagoon to the Caprice area was critical to spare the country from the next floods.

He said the Hydrological Services Department had been monitoring the drains every year and had also put measures for channel widening and building of culverts.