The Engineering Council has revealed that not until the Nima drain project is completed flooding will still persist at Kwame Nkrumah Circle Interchange area any time there’s a heavy downpour.

According to the Council, aside from the Odaw River that causes flooding, the Nima stream is also a major contributor to the perennial flooding at Kwame Nkrumah Circle, adding that failure of the authorities to complete the Nima drain soon after the construction of the Circle Interchange means the area will always be flooded when it rains.

Sunday evening’s downpour left portions of the Kwame Nkrumah Circle flooded.

Passengers were forced to alight from their vehicles and walk through the water, while other vehicles were forced to change their routes.

The Odaw river was overflowing as a result of the heavy rains, while parts of Las Palmas restaurant (where the Nima drain passes) were partially submerged with water.

Speaking on Asempa FM, Monday, the Registrar of the Engineering Council, Mr Wise Ametefe said until the Nima component of the drainage is fixed everything done at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle apart from the flyover will come to nought.

“The flyover will work, the road can be affected by flood but not until the Nima drain is done flooding will still persist at Circle. …We should have fixed the Nima component of the drainage along side the fixing of the Circle works but that was not done because of funding problems. Currently I think the Minister of Works and Housing is working with the World Bank to fix the Nima drain section of the Circle area project.”



Mr Wise Ametefe disclosed that an amount of not more than $10 million will be needed to solve the Nima component of the drainage which stretches from Paloma, through Circle to the Odaw River areas.