The Ghana Armed Forces has stepped up dredging, sanitation and environmental restoration exercises across the Greater Accra Region to improve drainage and restore flood retention facilities.
Brigadier General Richard Kinney, Commander of the 15 Engineer Brigade, said the operations include dredging retention ponds, removing waste, demolishing illegal structures and restoring degraded wetlands and water bodies.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Wednesday, he said work had already been completed at Oyarifa, while operations had commenced at the Tessa Dam on Boundary Road. Equipment will subsequently be deployed to Abokobi, Teiman and Damfa.
The Army is also undertaking major restoration work at the Lafa Basin retention pond at Mallam, where large quantities of waste have reportedly been deposited and compacted, reducing the facility’s capacity to retain floodwater.
Brig. Gen. Kinney said excavated waste would be transported to Nsawam for disposal, with about 20 heavy-duty trucks expected to support the operation. The exercise will run around the clock, with haulage scheduled mainly at night to minimise traffic disruptions.
The campaign will also cover the Kpeshie Lagoon at Laboma and the Sango Lagoon between Teshie and Nungua. Authorities plan to remove waste and encroachments and restore affected wetland areas, including mangrove vegetation.
Brig. Gen. Kinney said the interventions are intended to strengthen flood-control infrastructure, protect environmentally sensitive areas and improve sanitation across Greater Accra. He added that occupants of affected areas had been served notices, while those seeking compensation had been asked to provide documents proving ownership.
