Dr. Daniel Sowah, the Ga South Municipal Roads Engineer, has disclosed that a contractor is currently undertaking maintenance works on the Old Winneba Road. This initiative serves as an alternative to the flood-prone SCC – Weija – Old barrier sandy silt route, aimed at mitigating flooding along the Mallam-Kasoa Highway.
The maintenance works aim to divert traffic onto the Old Winneba road during periods of flooding along the SCC – Weija – Old barrier section of the national highway in Accra.
The N1 highway corridor, connecting Greater Accra to Kasoa in the Central Region, experiences perennial traffic congestion during rainy seasons.
The municipal roads engineer attributed the recurring floods on the highway to the loss of vegetation, primarily caused by extensive concrete building constructions in the area, particularly on the surrounding hills.
In an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show, on Tuesday, Dr Sowah said, “It is a result of erosion, anytime it rains, it washes the surface of the soil. Remember, everybody is building in Accra. Hitherto, all those areas were covered with vegetation but now there is construction going on all over. You cut the surface of the soil and you lose the texture…, anytime it rains, it [soil] is just at the mercy of the water and it comes down.”
Dr Sowah added that the immediate engineering solution to the problem is the construction of a storm drain in the area, which has already started.
“There are gutters but not enough and we are now constructing a storm drain at Baba Dogo to contain the water, and it will lead the water to the Sunda Factory area and around the Old Melcom, we are also working on another drain to help with the situation,” the municipal engineer added.
Commuters were left stranded after a downpour around 4 pm on Monday, May 13. The vehicular traffic continued into Tuesday morning.
Residents had to navigate through the waters to reach their homes.
The traffic situation was a result of both sides of the road being obstructed by silt washed onto the road by the rain, and further exacerbated by several vehicles that had broken down along the stretch.