Accra, Nov.7, GNA - The Hydrological Services Department of the Ministry of Works and Housing has completed surveys, designs and contract documents for the replacement of four undersized culverts in Tema Communities 18 and 19 to stem flooding there. This is because flooding in Communities 18, 19, and 20 has been traced to a series of five inadequate sized culverts and inadequate channel capacity.

Dr Richard Brempong-Yeboah, Deputy Minister of Works and Housing, said this on Friday when Mr Abraham Ossei Aidooh, NPP- Tema West, asked what the Ministry was doing to stop the destruction of buildings and infrastructure in Communities 18,19 and 20 in the Tema Municipality by flash floods.

The Minister said the contract for the four culverts would be awarded within the next few weeks for execution well before the next rainy season.

Dr Brempong-Yeboah said a more comprehensive solution would be the improvement and lining of the channel running through the two Communities for which the design has been prepared by the Hydrological Services Department.

The works would go through parts of Community 19 to cross the Ashaiman road and eventually outfall into the Sakumo Lagoon. The Minister said funds were being sought to hire an excavator of the Hydrological Services Department currently undertaking channel improvement works in other parts of Tema.

The flooding in Community 20 is being tackled through the widening and deepening of the Onukpawahe stream and in addition the culvert leading to the Slaughter House is to be replaced.

The channel downstream of the confluence of Onukpawahe and Mamahuma would be widened and deepened. 7 Nov. 03