Ayawaso West Sub-Metro in Perspective... Uncompleted N1 drains a cause for worry in Dzorwulu, Friday, April 20, 2012 (pg 28)

THE termination of drainage works linked to the N1 Road that runs through the Dzorwulu Community may result in flooding in low lying areas and neighbourhood along the Onyansia River between Dzorwulu and Roman Ridge.

The drain which forms part of the natural course of the Onyansa River running from Aburi has been terminated at the Valley View Junction leaving parts of Dzorwulu vulnerable to floods.

Residents are, therefore, appealing to the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, the Ministry of Works and Housing and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to complete the badly needed flood control projects to mitigate the danger.

 “If the drains are not completed and the rains come, we will be in trouble hence the need to draw the attention of all the relevant authorities to the problem,” Mr William Doworkpor, a resident said.

Mr Doworkpor who is also an aspiring Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency on the ticket of the Progressive Peoples Party told the Daily Graphic that he had together with the residents association petitioned the Millenium Development Authority(MiDA), AMA, NADMO and the Hydrological Services Department, to save the situation.

In the said petition, he noted that “the construction of the total 1100 metres or so, drainage linking the N1 to the Onyansa River is an absolute necessity.”

“The 550 metres constructed so far, is appreciated. However, the remaining 550 metres stretch of lower ground to the Onyansa River, which is a flood prone area, is even more critical requiring your urgent attention ahead of the rains in May/June 2012,”it said.

There was also a caveat for the authorities, “Residents will feel let down and compelled to take legal action against you and city authorities for negligence of duty should you do nothing to avert this imminent disaster that has been brought to your attention openly and on time.”

But the MiDA in response to the petition wrote to the Ministry of Water Resources Works and Housing to deal with the situation.

The MiDA letter dated January 31, 2012 states “In continuing the N1 Lot 1, ie from Tetteh Quarshie Interchange to the Apenkwa Bridge, MiDA gave the contractor the responsibility for continuing 550 metres off-site drainage to carry excess water from one end of the road.”

“The contractor has discharged his obligations under his contract. However, residents consider the extent and reach of the new drain to be inadequate. As the Compact Project ends on  February 16 2012, MiDA is Unable to commit any funds to a new contract related to this project.

It continued. “We are, therefore, bringing this outstanding public work to your ministry’s attention, in the hope that the drainage project will be extended to the benefit of the Dzorwulu Community.

Mr Wise Ametepe, Head of Drainage, Hydrological Services Department of the Ministry of Works and Housing was not available for comment but a source at the department told the Daily Graphic that the issue was receiving attention from the department.

Further adding to the troubles of the community is the chain of buildings sited on water courses along the railway line.

Even though the Accra Metropolitan Assembly had demarcated some of the buildings for demolition with January 27, 2011 as the deadline for property owners to vacate the area, more than a year later, the buildings stand defiantly with owners even extending their buildings.

A cow ranch also competes for space with the illegal structures.

With no toilet facilities for the encroachers, most of them have turned the open drain into a place of convenience and rubbish dump.

A resident of the area, Mr Amegayibor described the situation as worrying saying “they have turned the place as an open-air toilet.”

With the floods struggling to find a outlet the situation has resulted in erosion eating deep in spaces around the railway line.

To deal with the situation, the Ghana Railway Company constructed some concrete embankment to protect some parts of the railway line.

But that was not enough as the gully formed is so deep that even the roots of some trees close to the railway line are exposed.

The erosion has eaten away walkways and continues to inch closer to houses near the railway line.
Another resident, Mr S.S. Acquah, who said he had lived in the community since the 1970s, lamented that the encroachers were turning all the opening spaces into slums in a community rated as first class resident in the country.

“We are already in a big valley. If they rain come and things remain the way they are, then we are in a big trouble. The last time it rained heavily here, we have to dig a channel in that house there to prevent the water from flooding other homes,” he said pointing to a house nearby.

“Our biggest fear now is what will happen if the rains set in with the drains from the Motor way extension diverted to the area.”

The biggest rain in recent memory to have left foot prints of devastation in Dzorwulu was the July 26, 2011 rains.

According to the Daily Graphic of July 28, 2001, it took the 48 Engineer to rescue a number of people including pupils who were trapped in their homes and schools as a result of floods which engulfed parts of the city after a six-hour heavy rains in the morning. The rains had been described by meteorologists as the heaviest since July 4, 1995.

The team, which started off at Dzorwulu, used boats to rescue people trapped in their rooms, as well as those who had swum to safety on tree and roof tops.

In some instances, personnel of the regiment had to let down ladders into rooms through windows to enable people who had been trapped, to climb up to a level where they could be brought to safety.

At the Dzorwulu JSS and Primary School in Accra, the situation was serious as the floodwaters was shoulder deep, even for the JSS pupils.

The rescue team had to exercise a lot of caution to rescue the large number of pupils, as most of the very young were afraid.

The floodwaters was said to have submerged the area around the Secaps Hotel forcing guests to flee for their lives.