$10 Billion Needed to Construct Drains to Stop Flooding - Minister of Works and Housing

Ghana’s Minister of Works and Housing, Samuel Atta Akyea, has said an amount of US$10 billion would be needed to construct subterranean drains to help the country deal with perennial flooding.

According to the minister, although a subterranean drain is capital-intensive, “we do not have a choice, adding that “we would have to tackle this by going to the capital/bond market to raise about US$10 billion to undertake such a project.”

“I am of the humble view that in the long-run constructing subterranean drains would pay off instead of the country having to pay more money for the yearly desilting of drains and gutters,” he said.

READ ALSO:
"Abandoned Projects Would Have Already Been Completed If We Were Still In Power" – Mahama

He stressed that constructing subterranean drains across the country will offer what he described as a ‘permanent fix’ to the country’s perennial flooding and its attendant effects.

Furthermore, he explained that a subterranean drainage system would put all the gutters and drains underground, instead of open drains which have been with us since independence.

Mr Atta Akyea made the observation while on a tour to kick-start an exercise of actively involving communities to desilt their gutters in flood-prone areas in Accra.

The ‘desilt choked gutters exercise’ is a collaboration between the Ministries of Works and Housing, Local Government and Rural Development, Sanitation and Water Resources, Dredge Masters, Zoomlion Ghana Limited and the Assemblies.

It is aimed at ensuring that the drains and gutters within communities, especially flood-prone areas, are free to allow easy flow of water to ward off floods which have the tendency to destroy lives, properties and livelihoods.