The most audacious response yet to Accra’s flooding has thankfully taken off.
A few years after the Circle fire and flood situation, the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) project looks like one which would deal a frontal blow to the perennial and destructive raining season in the nation’s capital.
The World Bank funded project, an integrated one of course, should be one with far-reaching results.
Projects with this magnitude should be supported by all germane sectors especially the MMDAs with links to the Odaw River Basin.
With so much capital outlay seriousness should be a cornerstone of the project.
MMDAs not known for this attribute when it comes to project implementation should not be allowed to mess this one in anyway. They should be compelled to respond to demands of the principal implementers of the project.
The success of this project will have far-reaching impact on lives and property in the nation’s capital especially in areas prone to flooding.
The brains behind GARID deserve plaudits for thinking out a response to the perennial flooding in Accra.
According to one of the experts, spearheading the project the area spanning Alajo through the Circle area towards the sea has a worrying topography; it aligns with the sea a feature which makes flooding inevitable. The need for the strict enforcement of bylaws on environmental discipline under the circumstances should not be marginalised.
Experts working on the project have already undertaken the appropriate studies ahead of the execution of the capital intensive response.
The raining season has already commenced and the impact of the project is nowhere near our reach. We, are, therefore not out of the woods yet and all downpours are likely to result in flooding in areas such as Kaneshie and others prone to the weather-related challenge.
Besides, the climate change factor in Accra’s flooding the irresponsible attitude of residents is another issue which needs tackling.
The Works and Housing Ministry took the pain last week to launch a programme geared towards changing the bad attitude of residents towards the environment.
Why should garbage dumping into gutters only for these to clog the Odaw River as it makes its way to the Atlantic Ocean remain a feature of Accra residents?
While we salute the Ministry for the effort towards attitudinal change, it is our stance that such habits would not change overnight.
Persuasion and education should be supported with punitive actions. Thankfully, the much-touted ‘Response Team’ would commence their enforcement duties today, a game-changer when managed efficiently.
We call on all residents of Accra to let GARID succeed because floods are human killers and property destroyers.