French government assists in drainage problem

The French government has made available 11 million dollars to re-construct bridges and drains in some parts of the Accra metropolis, Mr Jean-Michel Berrit, French Ambassador in Ghana said on Monday.

Areas to benefit from the package are Avenor, Alajo, Kpehe, Castle road and West Ridge.

Mr Berrit who was speaking during a courtesy call on Sheikh Ibrahim Codjoe Quaye, Greater Accra Regional Minister said the Alajo and Avenor drains and bridges would be widened, deepened and lined in order to control floods in the metropolis under a project, which will start this year.

Mr Berrit said his government would consider the construction of a fly over at the Kwame Nkrumah circle to enhance the traffic flow.

The Ambassador and the minister discussed the teaching and learning of French in Ghanaian schools and Mr Berrit said French specialist courses would be established at two training colleges in Tamale and Kumasi to train more French teachers.

Sheik Quaye expressed his gratitude to the French government for constructing the King Tackie fly-over and five secondary drains at Mokuse, near Kaneshie, saying, "The area did not experience any flood this year as a result of the drains constructed."

He said the recent floods claimed 13 lives and rendered 144,000 people homeless.

Sheik Quaye said most areas affected by the floods did not have good drainage system.

"If we are able to tackle the drainage problem, floods in the metropolis would be minimised.

He expressed concern about the slow pace of work on the Odaw drains and said if work is not expedited there could be trouble again.

He also appealed to France to consider re-constructing drains in Tema and assist in curbing the crime wave in the metropolis by helping to equip the Police Service with communication gadgets.