The Parliamentary Select Committee on Works and Housing has commended Dredge Masters Limited for its ongoing efforts to dredge the Odaw River and Korle Lagoon to reduce flooding in Accra.
During a site inspection on Tuesday, May 6, Committee Chairperson Hon. Vincent Asamoah Oppong said the team was impressed with the quality of work being done by the company, a subsidiary of the Jospong Group.
“You’re doing a very good job, and we are impressed,” he remarked during the tour, which forms part of Parliament’s efforts to assess flood control readiness ahead of the rainy season.
However, Hon. Oppong warned city authorities—especially MMDCEs and the Mayor of Accra—to take urgent steps to deal with sanitation issues and illegal structures along the waterways. He stressed that without enforcement, even good dredging work could be undone.
“Sanitation must be taken seriously, and encroachers must be relocated. If we don’t act now, we will lose lives and resources during the rains,” he warned.
He also raised concern that the silt removed from the canals was being dumped along the riverbanks, risking it being washed back during rains if the area is not cleared of squatters and managed properly.
MP for Techiman South and Committee member, Mr. Martin Kwaku Adjei-Mensah Korsah, also expressed worry about illegal buildings in flood-prone areas. “We are spending public funds fixing problems that could be prevented. Human life must come first,” he said.
Deputy Managing Director of Dredge Masters, Ing. Samuel Borquaye, said the company had moved from Caprice to Circle and would continue towards Korle Lagoon. He noted that improper waste disposal by residents was slowing progress.
“This work is difficult because people keep dumping refuse into the drains. We need a change in attitude,” he said, adding that the area could be turned into a tourist site with proper planning and investment.
The Committee called for swift action to support the dredging effort and prevent another season of devastating floods in Accra.
Ghana|Atinkaonline.com