The Minister for Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye, has said that people living in communities prone to the menace of flooding will have the benefit of advance notice of flooding in order to take steps in protecting their lives and their properties.

The sector minister said the design of the system is completed and it is expected that the processes leading to the engagement of a service provider will be finalized for the system to be deployed.

Briefing the press on issues relating to flooding as the rainy season approaches, the sector minister indicated that the deployment of the FEWS system is part of the government’s comprehensive programme to tackle flooding in vulnerable communities, under the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project.

The $200m project, which is being undertaken in collaboration with the World Bank, has seen the government make significant progress in the implementation of projects meant to mitigate flood risk and solid waste management challenges in the Greater Accra Region.

Francis Asenso-Boakye added that projects such as performance-based dredging of the Odaw River, drainage improvements works at Achimota, Nima and Kaneshie, are about to commence, following the completion of all the needed procurement processes.

“It is expected that construction of these drainage improvement works will commence in the next few months,” he said.

While highlighting the progress that has been made, the minister acknowledged the need to improve drainage infrastructure in many other communities, noting that the government will invest resources in the demonstration of its commitment to tackling Ghana’s perennial flooding challenge.