By Edward Acquah, GNA
Accra, May 14, GNA – Mr Francis Asenso-Boakye, the Minister for Roads and Highways, has called for collaboration among state institutions to find lasting solutions to the perennial flooding and silting of the Weija section of the Accra-Kasoa Highway.
He said the regular mudslide that occurred on that section of the road and its associated discomfort for motorists and residents required a comprehensive plan to tackle the problem holistically.
The Minister made the call when he visited the Weija section of the highway to assess the extent of damage following Monday evening’s downpour, which led to heavy mudslide that rendered motorists stranded for hours.
The silting of the Kasoa highway is a regular phenomenon as the Weija section of the road gets completely covered with mud anytime it rained.
The situation appeared to have worsened on Monday night as some motorists who were caught up in the sludge spent up to six hours in the gridlock caused by the flooding of the road.
Mr Asenso-Boakye said the briefing he received from the Ministry’s engineers indicated that there was “serious storm drainage issue” on the Weija section of the highway.
He said ongoing drainage works commissioned by the Ministry of Works and Housing and implemented by the Ghana Hydrological Authority was among the steps being taken to address the problem.
“There needs to be much more collaboration and coordination between the Ministry together with the Ministry of Roads and Highways and Local Government and Assemblies so that we make sure that all these issues are addressed,” he said.
“We will meet and draw up and plan and make sure that all the interventions by the respective infrastructure agencies are well coordinated,” the Minister added.
Currently, the Ghana Hydrological Authority is constructing a 1.6km storm drain from Kasoa Old Barrier to the West Hills Mall area to tackle flooding of the area.
Mr Patrick Kofi Amekor, Head of Drainage, Ghana Hydrological Authority, told journalists that Phase II of the Project commenced about a month ago, and was scheduled to be completed in 17 months.
He said the completion of the drains would be instrumental in containing floodwaters that washed silt from the hills onto the road.
“We have also awarded an intervention to be done at the Kosoa Tollbooth area so there is going to be a catch fit at the foot of the hills. The idea is that it will intercept the silt that comes from the hills so it does not cover the road,” Mr Amekor said.
Dr Daniel Sowah, Municipal Roads Engineer, Ga South Municipality, said the level of silt that covered the road anytime it rained was difficult for the Assembly to manage and expressed confidence that the completion of the storm drain and other works would solve the problem.
GNA