Accra to build 10 metre drain
The Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development Project will begin construction of a 10 metre wide underground stormwater drain in Kaneshie from September 7. The double cell rectangular drain will run 1.5 kilometres from Pamprom Junction to First Light Junction along the Dr Busia Highway.
- The drain measures approximately 10 metres wide and stretches 1.5 kilometres.
- It replaces two existing pipes, each about 1.2 metres in diameter.
- Construction will run in three phases, with temporary road closures on the Dr Busia Highway.
- One end connects to a completed section at Accra Academy, the other to the existing drain at Pamprom Junction.
Accra's drainage network has struggled to cope with heavy rainfall for years, and the June 29 floods that killed thirty nine people and affected nearly 92,000 residents renewed pressure on authorities to act. The new drain is designed to move far more stormwater than the two old pipes it replaces, cutting pressure on the wider system during peak rainfall. For businesses along the Dr Busia Highway corridor, the project means short term disruption from road diversions but a longer term reduction in flood related closures that have historically hit shops, transport and logistics in the area. Infrastructure upgrades of this kind also signal continued investment in Accra's urban resilience, which matters to investors weighing exposure to the capital's commercial districts.
The bigger picture
The Kaneshie drain is part of a wider push under GARID to modernise Accra's stormwater network after repeated flooding losses. A single upgrade from two 1.2 metre pipes to one 10 metre drain reflects the scale of the capacity gap the city has been operating with. If the phased build stays on schedule, it could offer a template for similar interventions in other flood prone parts of Accra, where drainage capacity has not kept pace with urban growth.
Source: Ghanamma