Over one million cubic meters of waste materials have so far been desilted from the Odaw River and Korle Lagoon to pave the way for water flow since Dredge Masters Limited moved to site February this year.
This was disclosed by the Hydrological Engineer of Dredge Masters, Ing. Wise Ametefe when President Akufo-Addo visited the company in Accra to ascertain the progress of work in dredging the Odaw River to give way for the free flow of stormwater to avoid flooding on Tuesday.
President Akufo-Addo was taken through pictorial designs by Dredge Masters to overhaul the Odaw River and Korle Lagoon into a modern beautiful asset which will attract tourists and business activities in the city of Accra.
Dredge Masters begun operations in June 2016, a year after the June 3 disaster at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle claiming several lives and property with a two-year contract awarded by the government under John Dramani Mahama for desilting and dredging of the Odaw channel and restoration of the Korle Lagoon to avert the perennial flooding in Accra under the Accra Sanitary Sewer Storm Drainage Alleviation Project.
President Akufo-Addo renewed the contract for another two years beginning from February this year which scope of work included the redesign and construction of the KLERP interceptor and breakwater at the outfall.
The channel under the scope starts from the Odaw Onyasia confluence at Carprice in Accra, through Avenor, Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, Agbogbloshie, South Kaneshie drain and, the Upper and Lower Lagoon.
Operations Manager of Dredge Masters, Ing. Sena Adiepena said works under the initial contract was completed in March 2017 as designs on civil works are still ongoing.
He said since the renewal of the contract, over 1 million cubic meters of dredged materials were removed from the channel and lagoon.
Prior to the commencement of dredging operations, Ing. Adiepena recalled encroachers and squatters along the drains had to be removed with assistance from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and the Ghana Police Service. He commended AMA for their support.
Adiepena said Dredge Masters is working around the clock i.e. day and night to restore the drainage efficiency and holding a capacity of the channel and lagoon to avert any flooding in this year’s rainy season.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM
