Task force begins demolition, dredging exercise in Accra to combat flooding

Accra's Flood Mitigation Task Force has launched a comprehensive operation targeting compromised watercourses and drainage channels, many of which have been obstructed by illegal developments. The phased exercise began in areas like New England, behind Airport Hills and Mayfair Garden Estates, and extended to the Tesa Dam area in East Legon and Oyarifa.

Led by the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Stan Xoese Dogbe, and the Minister of Works, Housing and Water Resources, Kenneth Adjei, the team is systematically removing unauthorized structures. They are also addressing poorly engineered bridges and undertaking extensive dredging of silted dams and channels. The operation involves military personnel, including the Coordinator of Works, Brigadier General Forster Okae-Yeboah, and commanders from the Engineer Brigade.

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The problem is that because people have built in this area, the channel has been narrowed. Water is, therefore, not able to flow freely to the holding area downstream, where it is supposed to be collected.

At Tesa Dam, a critical flood retention basin, structures built along its banks were demolished. Authorities cited encroachment and the construction of illegal retaining walls as major issues. Indiscriminate dumping of waste by squatters further compounded the problem, leading to heavy siltation and reduced storage capacity. Residents were given an opportunity to remove their belongings before demolitions began.

Following the demolition, the task force immediately commenced dredging Tesa Dam to clear heavy silt deposits. This effort aims to restore the dam's storage capacity and improve water flow, thereby reducing flood risks in areas such as the Accra-Tema Motorway, East Legon, and surrounding communities. Brigadier General Okae-Yeboah explained that illegal constructions have severely narrowed the natural water channels, preventing water from flowing freely to downstream collection areas and causing floods in adjacent communities.

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Since the channel is blocked, the area cannot take in enough water. The water pushes up, causing the surrounding communities to flood.