The Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project has announced phased road closures and alternative routes ahead of the construction of a major underground stormwater drain along the Dr Busia Highway in the Kaneshie enclave.

The traffic management arrangements will take effect when construction begins on September 7, 2026. The project involves the construction of a double-cell rectangular drain stretching about 1.5 kilometres from Pamprom Junction to First Light Junction.

The drain, which will be approximately 10 metres wide, will replace two existing pipes, each measuring about 1.2 metres in diameter. It will connect the recently completed drainage section within the Accra Academy campus to the drain at Pamprom Junction.

GARID Project Coordinator Dr Kwadwo Ohene Sarfo, who announced the arrangements during the Government Accountability Series on Wednesday, August 26, said temporary road closures would be unavoidable because of the scale and location of the project.

“Given the scale and location of the works, temporary road closures along the section of the Dr Busia Highway will be unavoidable,” he said.

He explained that the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources, working with the Department of Urban Roads and other relevant institutions, had developed a comprehensive traffic management plan to ensure the safe and efficient movement of vehicles during the construction period.

First phase to begin on September 7

The first phase will begin on September 7, 2026, with the closure of the westbound carriageway of the Dr Busia Highway from Pamprom Junction.

The closure will remain in force until the end of November 2026 and will affect motorists travelling towards Pamprom Junction, First Light and adjoining areas from:

• Korle Bu–Mortuary Road
• Graphic Road
• Obetsebi-Lamptey Circle
• Kwame Nkrumah Circle

Motorists approaching the construction area from these corridors will not be allowed to continue along the affected section of the Dr Busia Highway.

They will instead be required to use designated alternative routes, including:

• Awudome Cemetery Road
• The New Times Corporation–Awudome Roundabout route
• The Okponglo–Mataheko route

These routes will allow motorists to reconnect to First Light Junction and continue to their respective destinations.

“It is expected that this first phase of the works will be completed by the end of November, and Pamprom Junction will then be opened to traffic in the first week of December 2026,” Dr Ohene Sarfo stated.

Following the reopening, motorists approaching from the affected corridors will be permitted to turn right at Pamprom Junction and connect to the designated alternative routes towards First Light Junction.

Kaneshie Station–First Light section to remain closed

Despite the planned reopening of Pamprom Junction, the remaining westbound section of the Dr Busia Highway, from Kaneshie Station to First Light Junction, will remain closed until August 2027.

Dr Ohene Sarfo explained that the extended closure was necessary to allow construction of the underground drainage system to continue safely.

“It is important to emphasise that the remaining westbound section of the Dr Busia Highway, from Kaneshie Station all the way to First Light, will remain closed until August 2027 to allow the construction of the underground drains to continue,” he said.

By August 2027, the drainage construction is expected to have reached a point immediately before the First Light intersection.

First Light–Cocoa Clinic route to close in September 2027

The next major traffic arrangement will begin in September 2027 and continue until the end of October 2027.

During this period, the road linking the First Light intersection on the westbound side to the Cocoa Clinic Roundabout will be closed to traffic.

The closure will affect vehicles travelling from the Russia community and Flamingo traffic lights towards the Cocoa Clinic Roundabout.

It will also affect motorists travelling from Kasoa and Odorkor towards the Cocoa Clinic Roundabout.

Dr Ohene Sarfo said the public would be given advance notice of the arrangements before the closure takes effect.

“The public will be informed well ahead of the arrangements in this phase through the same communication channels that are being launched today,” he said.

Additional alternative route

Throughout the construction period, road users may also use the interchange route leading to the traffic light opposite the ICGC Christ Temple, proceed towards Mataheko and reconnect to First Light Junction.

Directional and warning signs will be installed to guide motorists towards the appropriate diversion points and alert them before they reach closed sections of the road.

Personnel from the Motor Traffic and Transport Department of the Ghana Police Service and the relevant metropolitan assemblies will also be deployed to manage traffic and assist road users.

Dr Ohene Sarfo urged motorists who do not have essential business within the construction area to avoid the affected corridors.

“We encourage road users to avoid the affected corridors where possible, unless they have legitimate business within the construction zone, and to use the designated alternative routes that have been developed under the traffic management plan,” he said.

The GARID Project has also established dedicated toll-free telephone lines to receive enquiries, complaints and requests for traffic-related information throughout the implementation period.

The number is: 0800800900 or 0800500600 for MTN and Telecel networks.

The drainage project follows the June 29 flood disaster in the national capital, which affected several communities and renewed public concerns about Accra’s drainage capacity and exposure to flooding.

READ ALSO: June 29 floods killed 39, affected nearly 92,000 people – Muntaka