President Mahama unhappy with delays in completion of GARID projects

President John Dramani Mahama has raised concerns over the looming threat of severe flooding in Accra, citing delays in the completion of critical flood mitigation projects, including the Odaw River Basin development.

The $200 million Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development Project (GARID)—approved in 2019—was designed to enhance flood risk management, solid waste disposal, and infrastructure improvements in flood-prone communities. However, setbacks in its implementation have heightened fears of devastating floods as the rainy season approaches.

During a recent visit to flood-prone areas in Accra, President Mahama expressed disappointment over the slow pace of work, warning that failure to complete the project on time could lead to widespread destruction and displacement.

He emphasized the urgency of accelerating construction efforts, stressing that the safety and well-being of Accra’s residents depend on swift action to mitigate flood risks.

“I would have thought that the contractors would take advantage of the dry season and work as quickly as possible so that we would have been ahead with these projects right now.

“But unfortunately, that hasn’t happened. And so we just have to caution citizens of Accra that there is going to be severe flooding because of the delay in these projects,” he stated.

President Mahama also urged the authorities to as much as possible, speed up their operations to alleviate destruction of property and loss of life.

“We have to do everything to alleviate the destruction of property and loss of life as much as possible. But I have charged the GARID Secretariat and the hydrology section and the ministry to pay constant attention to make sure that all the projects that have been awarded under GARID to make Accra resilient from flooding are speeded up as quickly as possible so that we can minimize the flooding,” he emphasised.