Parliament approves $200m for Accra resilient project

Parliament has approved 200 million dollars for the Accra Resilient and Integration Redevelopment Project, aimed at addressing flooding in the city.

Torrential rains caused havoc in parts of the country, especially in Accra, claiming lives and destroying properties.

At a media encounter on Wednesday morning, the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said government is embarking on the project to avert further loss of lives and properties.

“Four Ministries are spearheading this project. They include the Works and Housing Ministry that is chairing the interministerial committee on this. Sanitation and Water Resources, Zongo Development and Local Government. Among their respective roles, the Works and Housing Ministry is using its share of the fund to handle drainage of key water outlets including the Odaw River that has been spoken about for many years, finally, it has been approved.”

“The project is also expected to improve flood risk management and solid waste management around the Odaw Basin of the Greater Accra Region and improve access to basic infrastructure and services in the targeted communities within the basin.”

The Minister also indicated that some 582 communities across the country are also to benefit from a 183 million dollar Electrification Project targeted at providing power to rural dwellers.

“We are of the view that there are better options that can be put into this contractual agreement. Options like the PCO options and not necessarily these take or pay or the capacity charges that come with it because what it does is that in essence, you end up paying for power that you are not consuming…We are getting to a point and we have been engaging with the IPPS to find a way to better negotiate those arrangements and cut it.”