Residents and commuters using the Hansonic Junction stretch of Dansoman have raised concerns over persistent perennial flooding in the area, saying the situation continued to disrupt transportation and economic activities during the rainy season.
Drivers and passengers who spoke to the Daily Graphic described the flooding as a yearly occurrence and called on authorities to take urgent steps to address the problem.
A taxi driver at the Hansonic station, Uncle Ebo, said the floods negatively affected their operations whenever it rained.
“Every year during the rainy season, the rains affect our work. Passengers do not patronise our services during the rains due to the difficulties they go through just to get to the station,” he said.
He said officials from the municipal assembly had visited the area on many occasions to inspect the situation, but residents had yet to see any lasting solution.
“We would like to appeal to the government to come to our aid since this affects our livelihood as drivers,” he added.
Poor drainage
A commuter, who frequently uses the road to work and mentioned his name only as Peter, attributed the flooding to poor drainage infrastructure in the area.
“The drainage system is quite poor. It is a sloppy area, so when the rain comes, the water settles here for a long time. It affects the crossing of the road and even the boarding of vehicles,” he said.
He said the stagnant water made movement difficult for both pedestrians and motorists, especially during heavy rains.
Ongoing works
Responding to the concerns, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Ablekuma North Musah Kalamu Adamu, who was seen leading a team to inspect that section of the Dr Busia Highway, said the flooding had been worsened by ongoing drainage construction works along the stretch.
He explained that contractors working on drains from the Tecno Office area to Accra Academy had temporarily blocked sections of the drainage system to allow desilting works to continue.
The MCE said the contractors were currently desilting underground drains to improve water flow in the area.
“Currently, when you go to the site, you can see that we’ve engaged contractors, and they are desilting the drains,” he said.
He explained that the temporary blockage had caused rainwater to overflow onto the streets, but assured residents that the situation would improve once the works were completed.
He said the contractor had assured the assembly that the underground desilting works would be completed by the end of the week to allow water to pass freely through the drains.
Road rehabilitation
The MCE further disclosed that the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma North, Ewurabena Aubynn, had engaged the Ministry of Works and Housing on the condition of the road.
He said the Architectural and Engineering Services Limited (AESL) had been contracted to undertake soil testing ahead of major rehabilitation works on the stretch from the Obetsebi-Lamptey Interchange to Mallam with asphalt.
He said the area had been identified as one of the flood-prone hotspots in the municipality and expressed optimism that conditions would improve significantly within the next few months.