The Mayor of Accra, Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey has inspected ongoing construction works on drains in the Chorkor Electoral Area as part of efforts to improve stormwater management, reduce flooding, and strengthen sanitation infrastructure in the area.

The drain project, which includes about five kilometres of primary drains, forms part of measures to address perennial flooding and improve environmental conditions in communities across the metropolis.

Speaking after the inspection, the Mayor stated that the project was intended to enhance the free flow of rainwater, reduce the risk of flooding, and improve living conditions for residents in Chorkor and surrounding communities.

He highlighted the Assembly’s broader strategy to address flooding and sanitation challenges in the city, particularly in low-lying and densely populated areas.

The Mayor urged residents in Accra to desist from dumping refuse into drains and from indiscriminate disposal of waste, warning that such practices often blocked the drains and contributed directly to flooding in the city.

According to him, waste dumped in drains was eventually washed into water bodies and beaches, worsening sanitation conditions along the coastline as well as undermining efforts being made by the Assembly to restore the city’s beaches.

The Mayor said the Assembly was intensifying clean-up exercises along beaches and in flood-prone communities while also stepping up public education and enforcement to discourage poor sanitation practices.

He added that the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) was working to ensure that waste was properly managed at source and that residents understood the direct link between littering in communities, choked drains, flooding and the pollution of beaches.

The Mayor disclosed that more drains were under construction in other parts of the metropolis and expressed optimism that when completed, they would significantly improve drainage, reduce flooding, and support the Assembly’s broader environmental sanitation agenda.

He stressed that infrastructure alone would not solve the problem unless residents also changed their attitude towards waste disposal and supported efforts to keep drains and public spaces clean.