The Ministry of Works and Housing has said it expects a major boost of GHc 200 million to supplement its budget of GHc 17 million and improve the drainage systems in Accra.
“In the budget of 2018, we had some monies in the neighbourhood of GHc 17.3 million to address this problem. Now, President Nana Akufo-Addo, realizing the crisis and consequences in terms of the destruction of property and sometimes death, is committed to giving us an additional GHc 200 million to solve this problem,” the sector Minister, Samuel Atta-Akyea told the media on Monday.
[contextly_sidebar id=”dIWdPqndvREpTqnEpYhQHLMAqHELqurV”]He was speaking during an inspection exercise of drains in Accra on Monday, where he also said the ministry’s focus was shifting towards the construction of an underground sewage network.
“We do not need open drains. What we need are underground sewage arrangements in which filth is not paraded. In every civilized environment, you find that filth is underground,” Mr. Atta-Akyea said.
‘Quick fixes’
Last month, Mr. Atta-Akyea warned that the cycle of flooding and desilting drains in Accra will continue if a permanent solution is not adopted.
He views this underground sewage network as a more lasting solution to the problem of flooding.
Appearing before Parliament on March 7 after he had been summoned, Mr. Atta-Akyea said the desilting of drains was once again the “quick fix” measure put in place to prevent flooding ahead of the 2018 major rainy season.
“I am saying that if Ghana should have a permanent solution, we should go to places where you will not see filth floating in drains. You won’t see any sewage. Everything is underground and it is going to cost this country huge sums of money but we better start to have a permanent fix,” Mr. Atta-Akyea said.
Without this permanent solution, he said the cycle of seeking funds for desilting drains which will eventually be filled with rubbish again “will never end.”
A year ago, Mr. Atta-Akyea, made similar comments ahead of the rainy season saying it was going to cost Ghana over $700 million to effectively and permanently deal with the perennial flooding in the Greater Accra Region alone.
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By: Philip Nii Lartey & Delali Adogla-Bessa/citinewsroom.com/Ghana
