The Head of Drains at the Ghana Hydrological Authority, Eng. Richard Kofi Amekor, has indicated that construction works on two planned Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) retention ponds are expected to begin by the end of the year.

This comes after concerns were raised about the status of the project, which originally proposed the construction of 18 retention ponds as part of flood mitigation efforts in parts of the Greater Accra Region.

Speaking in an interview on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Thursday, June 4, Mr Amekor clarified that the initial proposal had been revised following technical assessments and stakeholder consultations. According to him, only two sites have currently been earmarked for development.

He explained that the selected sites include one located in the Ga East Atomic area. He noted that both sites have been secured and that design works have been completed. However, construction is yet to begin due to ongoing processes, including land acquisition and other preparatory documentation required under the project framework.

“As I mentioned earlier, land acquisition has been one of the major challenges, and the Ministry is working hard to address that. For the two retention ponds currently on the drawing board, the sites have been secured, the designs are complete, and we are hopeful that by the end of this year, we will see some physical work on the ground,” he assured.

He further clarified that the figure of 18 retention ponds formed part of an earlier planning phase of the project. He said that after reassessing flood-prone catchment areas and engaging affected communities, the scope was adjusted to reflect current priorities and feasibility.

While the project was launched in 2019 with funding support from the World Bank, concerns have been raised about the pace of implementation.

When asked why construction had not yet begun several years after its launch, Eng. Amekor referred further questions on funding delays to the Project Coordinating Unit.

The GARID project forms part of broader efforts to address perennial flooding challenges in the Greater Accra Region through drainage improvements, infrastructure development, and environmental management interventions.