Man drowns in uncompleted Nsukwao basin drainage project

A man believed to be in his 40s has allegedly drowned in the uncompleted Nsukwao Basin drainage project President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cut the sod for in August 2020.

The man only identified by some residents as Kofi was a Mason. His body has been retrieved by the Police and deposited at the morgue.

The incident occurred around 3:00 pm Sunday, January 17, 2020.

It is not clear how he fell into the stagnant water in the Nsukwao drainage facility under construction.

Some residents conjectured that he might have slipped while walking along the slope of the excavated drainage facility.

It was observed that the contractor has not cordoned off the project site, neither erected warning signs exposing residents particularly children in the area to danger.

Residents fear if the construction site is not cordoned off with adequate warning signs, many fatalities may be recorded.

They also called on the contractor to speed up work for the project to be completed before the rainy season.

The GH¢15.81million Nsukwao Basin drainage project, which is under the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme (GSCSP), and is funded by the World Bank was expected to be completed within six months however this seems unrealistic considering the slow paste of work.

The project also involves the installation of four stormwater surface retention ponds distributed along the Nsukwao River, flow facilities, channelization, and streambank stabilization; concrete pipes and culverts, with two access roads

The project when completed would end the perennial flood in the New Juaben North and South Municipalities.