Nima, Maamobi residents protest delay of drain project
Hundreds of Nima and Maamobi residents yesterday defied police orders and demonstrated against the delay in completing the Nima/Maamobi Urban Storm Management Project.
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The demonstrators, dressed mostly in red clothes, held placards, some with the inscription, “We deserve better”, “Who chop gutter money?”, “Our lives and properties are in danger”, “16 years for nothing MP”, and burnt lorry tyres.
The demonstration, which started at about 7 a.m., attracted more than 50 security personnel who were detailed to manage the agitated residents.
According to one of the organisers of the demonstration, Mr Abdullah Musah, the main concern of the residents was the delay in the construction of the drainage.
He said the youth leaders in the community met with the contractor but were saddened by the revelations they got.
“When we met with the contractor, he told us that he had no contract with the government and that he was yet to be paid for the work he had done,” Mr Musah said.
Mr Musah also said it was unfortunate that the Member of Parliament (MP), Mr Ahmed Mustapha, had been in power for over 16 years but had not been able to see to the completion of the project.
“At the time the project started, the MP was the Deputy Minister for Works and Housing. He later became the Deputy Minister of Science and Technology and now, he is a Minister of State at the Presidency in charge of Development Authorities, and yet the drain is not complete. We have been quiet for too long and we have realised that the MP is taking us for granted. We want the drain to be completed before the end of the year or he will face the wrath of residents. We need answers,” he added.
Background
The sod was cut for the drainage project in October 2011 by President J. E. A. Mills and was expected to be completed in less than two years.
The drainage extension, with a total length of 1.2 kilometres is expected to control flooding in the two communities, enhance the stability of buildings, and minimise financial losses from floods.
The drainage originates from the south-western part of the Kotoka International Airport and runs through the Airport City, Kawukudi Junction, Nima, Maamobi, Asylum Down and finally ends in the Odaw River.
Work done so far is less than 50 per cent and is currently at a standstill, posing danger to the residents in the two communities.
Government’s Intervention
In May this year, the Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Mr Collins Dauda, during his tour of drainage works in the Accra and Tema metropolises, visited the Nima site.
He said out of GH¢10 million earmarked for the Achimota Excavation Work and the Nima drainage, Parliament had already approved GH¢300,000 for the beginning of the construction work.
The Member of Parliament for Ayawaso East, Dr Mustapha Ahmed, who was part of the minister’s team at the time, said the project was halted for a period because the contractor working on it did not meet the deadline given him.
“His contract was abrogated for a new contractor to take over,” he said and expressed the hope that the new contractor would work vigorously to meet the deadline.