Odaw River drainage project terminated due to contractor's poor performance - Minister

The government has terminated the contract for the Odaw River drainage project after the contractor failed to deliver the works as expected, with authorities now racing to complete critical sections of the flood control infrastructure to reduce the risk of recurring flooding in Accra.

Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, disclosed the development while briefing Parliament on government efforts to strengthen flood mitigation following the recent devastating floods that affected several parts of the Greater Accra Region.

According to the Minister, the drainage project, which commenced in July 2024, involved the construction of a 1.5-kilometre box culvert from Nima-Paloma to the Odaw River and was originally scheduled for completion within 18 months.

However, he said the contractor's poor performance forced the government to terminate the agreement before completion.

However, due to poor performance, the contract for this work has been terminated. At the point of termination, there were still some ongoing works at critical stages which required immediate completion," Mr. Adjei told Parliament.

Despite terminating the contract, the Minister noted that several key engineering works remain incomplete and require urgent execution to minimise flood risks in Accra.

Among the outstanding works are:

• Demolition of the Odaw River outfall wall to improve water flow and prevent sediment accumulation.
• Completion of downstream drainage connections linking the new drains to the Odaw channel.
• Reconstruction of an upstream drainage section that had previously been demolished.

According to the Minister, completing these components is essential to improving drainage efficiency and preventing flooding during heavy rainfall.

Mr. Adjei disclosed that the Ministry has already sought approval from the World Bank to undertake the immediate completion of the outstanding emergency works while arrangements are made to repackage and retender the remainder of the project.

"The Ministry therefore sought approval from the World Bank to immediately complete these critical works whilst repackaging of the project continues," he explained.

The intervention is intended to ensure that unfinished sections do not become additional flood hazards before a new contractor is engaged.

The Minister explained that the next phase of the project will depend on obtaining commitment authorisation from the Ministry of Finance.

According to him, the Ministry will soon submit the required documentation to secure financial approval for the project to be re-tendered.

"To enable us re-tender and repackage works, we require commitment authorization from the Ministry of Finance to continue the process," he said.

Once approval is granted, the remaining sections of the drainage project will be advertised for competitive bidding to enable construction to resume.

Mr. Adjei further explained that the desilting and dredging of the Odaw River are being undertaken under the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project, a World Bank-supported initiative aimed at improving flood resilience across the capital.

The dredging contract commenced in February 2024 and is expected to run until December 2027, focusing on restoring the river's carrying capacity, reducing sediment build-up and improving stormwater flow.

The GARID Project is one of Ghana's flagship urban resilience programmes, supporting flood risk management, drainage infrastructure, solid waste management and climate resilience within the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area.

The disclosure comes in the wake of the devastating floods that recently swept through several communities in Accra, resulting in loss of life, widespread destruction of property and renewed calls for accelerated investment in drainage infrastructure.

Government officials say completing critical drainage projects, strengthening flood management systems and improving maintenance of waterways remain key priorities in reducing the impact of future flooding and protecting lives and property across the capital.