Flood Mitigation Task Force Begins Major Dredging and Demolition Exercise in Accra

Flood Mitigation Task Force Begins Major Dredging and Demolition Exercise in Accra

The Flood Mitigation Task Force has commenced a phased dredging, desilting and demolition exercise across various locations in Accra to address the city’s recurring flooding challenges.

Led by Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Stan Xoese Dogbe, and Works, Housing and Water Resources Minister, Kenneth Adjei, the team, accompanied by military officials including Brigadier General Forster Okae-Yeboah, began operations at New England near Airport Hills and Mayfair Garden Estates, before moving to the Tesa Dam in East Legon and Oyarifa.

At the Tesa Dam, located adjacent to Boundary Road in East Legon, authorities demolished structures built along the dam’s banks, which had narrowed the natural waterway. Developers had constructed illegal retaining walls and other unauthorised structures, while indiscriminate dumping of plastic waste and squatting activities caused heavy siltation, increasing the area’s vulnerability to flooding.

Before the demolition, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Osei Amponsah of the 48 Engineer Regiment addressed affected residents, explaining that the operation was intended to restore the waterway and mitigate flooding. Occupants were given time to remove their belongings before the exercise began.

Following the demolition, the task force immediately began dredging the Tesa Dam, which serves as a critical flood retention basin designed to temporarily store stormwater during heavy rains. Authorities say years of siltation, encroachment and waste dumping had significantly reduced its capacity.

In an interview, Brigadier General Forster Okae-Yeboah explained that illegal developments had severely restricted the natural flow of water.

“The problem is that because people have built in this area, the channel has been narrowed. Water is therefore not able to flow freely to the holding area downstream, where it is supposed to be collected. Since the channel is blocked, the area cannot take in enough water. The water backs up, causing the surrounding communities to flood,” he said.

He added that the exercise would go beyond demolition to ensure waterways remain free from future encroachment. After clearing debris and dredging, the task force would create a buffer zone where building would no longer be permitted, and assemblies would be tasked with monitoring to prevent re-encroachment.

Works and Housing Minister, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, said desilting of drains across the country would become a continuous exercise under a directive from President John Mahama.

“The President has directed that this should be an ongoing exercise. So, you are not just seeing us here today and that will be the end of it. After the demolitions, we will continue dredging throughout the year so that whenever it rains, the water will have enough space to collect. It will be a year-round exercise. The President has directed that we ensure the kind of flooding we recently experienced is not repeated in our communities,” he said.

The Tesa Dam operation follows similar enforcement exercises carried out on Thursday in Oyarifa and around Mayfair Gardens.

In Oyarifa, a developer had built apartments directly over a natural waterway, obstructing its flow, while another had diverted the watercourse, disrupting the natural drainage system. The task force demolished the obstructions and other inappropriately sited structures to restore the channel.

Around Mayfair Estates, the team removed a concrete-reinforced bridge constructed by developers and residents that had obstructed a natural waterway. Dredging is underway to restore its carrying capacity, with additional encroaching structures expected to be demolished.

The task force says the nationwide flood mitigation exercise aims to restore the integrity of waterways, improve stormwater drainage and prevent a recurrence of the recent flooding that affected several communities across Greater Accra.

After completing phase one at New England, Tesa Dam and Oyarifa, phase two will tackle challenges in Weija, Mallam and the Laboma area.

Source: Adomonline.com