The Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project has announced that dredging works along the Odaw River are about 40 percent complete, with authorities expressing confidence that the ongoing exercise will significantly improve flood management in the capital once completed.
According to GARID officials, the dredging forms part of a broader flood mitigation strategy aimed at increasing the river’s capacity to carry stormwater during heavy rains while reducing the risk of flooding in vulnerable communities across the Greater Accra Region.
Project engineers said work is progressing steadily despite occasional weather-related disruptions. They noted that excavators and other heavy equipment continue to remove large volumes of silt, debris and waste that have accumulated in the river over the years, restricting the free flow of water.
The project also includes improvements to drainage infrastructure, desilting of major storm drains and other engineering interventions designed to strengthen Accra’s resilience against flooding, which has become more frequent during the rainy season.
GARID stressed that the Odaw River remains one of the city’s most critical waterways, making its rehabilitation a key priority in the government’s efforts to reduce flood-related disasters and protect lives, property and economic activities.
Officials appealed to residents and businesses located along the river to cooperate with contractors and avoid dumping refuse into drains and water bodies, warning that indiscriminate waste disposal undermines ongoing flood-control efforts.
They further urged the public to support environmental sanitation campaigns and maintain clean drainage channels to ensure the long-term success of the project.
