Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, Alfred Vanderpuije says the solution to the perennial flood situation in Accra will be the commencement of the Conti Project, which will de-silt the Korle Lagoon.
According to the Mayor until the Korle Lagoon is de-silted to allow the Odaw River to flow into it, Accra will continue to flood when it rains.
�We need to put the infrastructure in place and we will do so through the Conti Project; the Conti Project will de-silt the Korle Lagoon in its entirety� and we will also construct the needed storm drains,� he said on Eyewitness News on Thursday.
He added that the AMA has been de-silting the drains in Accra, but the biggest challenge is the Korle Lagoon.
He also explained that the AMA has been de-silting the drains in the capital else the magnitude of the flood could have been worse. �We will continue to de-silt the drains as we have been doing��
�Every three-six months we are de-silting drains in Accra; we are always de-silting. But we are doing that as a temporary measure,� he noted.
The Conti Project is a five-year project to be conducted in three different stages. It is expected to tackle the Accra flooding and some sanitation and environmental challenges bedeviling the city.
The Government of Ghana and the Conti Group of Companies of the United States of America signed a US$660 million dollars for the commencement of the Project.
Mr. Vanderpuije stated that until the Korle Lagoon is de-silted to allow the Odaw River to flow into it smoothly, Accra will continue to flood when it rains.
"Naturally the Odaw drain is connect to the Korle Lagoon and so the Odaw drain will only have a free flow when it can empty into the Korle Lagoon; Right now the Korle Lagoon is not flowing, it�s choked,� he lamented.
He revealed that the Ministry of Finance has accepted the Conti Project and have signed up on the financial loan agreement and work will start soon.
Heavy rainfall on Thursday led to flooding in parts of Accra. The flood waters rendered many roads almost impassable and also caused heavy vehicular traffic. Large parts of the Kwame Nkrumah circle, Kaneshie First Light and the Central Business District are completely submerged.
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