Work on the Odaw drainage and the Korle Lagoon projects in Accra have been temporarily suspended.

This is to enable contractors working on the projects to remove the cover dams for free flow of water in the channels, as the rainy season approaches.

The cover dams are blocks constructed in the channels to prevent water from over flowing into new channels that are being constructed. Mr Kwamena Bartels, Minister of Works and Housing speaking in an interview in Accra yesterday explained that this has become necessary due to last Thursday's flooding in some parts of Accra.

He said the decision was arrived at after he met with the Minister of Local Government, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, whose Ministry is responsible for the Odaw Drainage project. Various areas in Accra were flooded last Thursday following a downpour.

The flood waters washed away kiosks and wooden bridges and stopped vehicular movement in certain parts of the city for a considerable period.

Most homes were also flooded. Earlier when Mr Yuan Chaofang, Managing Director of China International Water and Electric Corporation, the company working on the Odaw Drainage Project, was contacted, he said they have started removing the cover dams and cleaning the channels for free flow of water.

He said if after removing the Odaw drainage cover dams, those of the Korle Lagoon are not removed, there would still be flooding along that area.

He mentioned specifically the Graphic Road area where the separation point between the Odaw Drainage Project and the Korle Lagoon is and said the water will overflow unless motorist divert to alternative roads.

Mr Chaofang said the two main cover dams on the Odaw Drainage Project have been constructed at Avenor and between Odawna and the Railway lines on the Graphic Road. He said work has also begun on the creation of walkways along the channels adding that this would be completed soon.

He said they are refilling diversions created during the start of the project and would also begin the laying of pipes to carry waste from industries into the sea.

Mr Chaofang explained that the rains caught up with them, contrary to their expectation gave the assurance that everthing is being done to prevent any future flooding of the project area. He said the project would be finally completed in December, this year.