The government has commenced reclamation works at the Lafa Water Retention Basin at Mallam in the Weija Constituency of the Greater Accra Region as part of efforts to address perennial flooding in several communities.
The Deputy Chief of Staff, Stan Dogbe, announced the commencement of the exercise, saying the intervention was necessary to restore the capacity of the basin and improve the flow of rainwater into the sea.
The retention basin has reportedly been heavily silted over the years due to illegal dumping of solid waste and laterite, obstructing the natural flow of stormwater.
The situation contributed to severe flooding in areas including Blue Lagoon, Mallam, Weija, McCarthy Hill, Santa Maria, the Awoshie-Kasoa corridor and parts of Dansoman during the heavy rains of June 29.
The Engineer Brigade of the Ghana Armed Forces, in collaboration with the Ghana Hydrological Authority, is using heavy-duty equipment to break up compacted waste and laterite deposited in the basin.
Dredging and excavation works are expected to continue for several weeks as authorities work to restore the basin’s water-holding capacity.
Mr Dogbe said debris removed from the site would be transported at night as much as possible to minimise traffic disruptions and inconvenience to residents.
He also announced plans to remove illegal buildings and structures located within the water reserve as part of efforts to restore the channel and strengthen the basin’s embankments.
The Deputy Chief of Staff warned individuals and businesses against further encroachment and pollution of water reserves.
He stressed that illegal dumping of waste was prohibited and cautioned that structures erected illegally on water reserves would be removed.
“The years of impunity must end,” he stated.
According to him, illegal sales of land or construction activities within designated water reserves would not be allowed to continue.
Mr Dogbe said the government could not allow the actions of a few individuals to endanger the lives, property and livelihoods of entire communities.
He acknowledged that the reclamation exercise at Lafa would take several weeks but assured residents that the government remained committed to completing the work.
He appealed to residents and local communities to cooperate with the teams working on the project as efforts continue to improve flood resilience and protect communities within the affected areas.
