After years of flooding fears, the Odaw River defied expectations following Sunday’s heavy downpour in Accra—remaining within its banks and sparing surrounding communities the usual chaos. Residents attribute the unexpected relief to an ongoing dredging exercise commissioned by the government.

While many welcomed the effort, skepticism over its long-term impact is growing.

“They should know we’re in the rainy season,” one resident near the Odaw told JoyNews. “Waiting till the sand dries before collecting it is not ideal. Everything will just go back into the drain. It’s all a waste of time.”

The concern? Heaps of silt and waste removed from the river are being left at the edge of the Odaw. With more rains expected, residents fear the debris will simply be washed back into the lagoon, undoing the work.

A nearby shoe vendor echoed the sentiment. “Dredging is good, but how sustainable is this method of theirs? All the filth and sand desilted will go back into the lagoon.”

The Odaw dredging is part of a broader flood mitigation plan under the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development Project (GARID). The initiative includes the expansion of drains in Kaneshie and reconstruction of a major channel from Nima-Paloma on the Ring Road to the Odaw outfall.

Yet, progress is uneven.

Several communities within the Korle Klottey Municipality, which lies downstream of the Odaw, say they’ve seen no dredging activity. As a result, homes and properties in these areas suffered significant flooding after Sunday’s rain, though thankfully, no lives were lost.

Municipal Chief Executive for Korle Klottey, Hon. Allotey Gaisie, says his office is pushing to fund a permanent solution.

“We’ve had this challenge over the years,” he told JoyNews. “As an Assembly, we want to fix the problem—not walk in here every time to sympathize and hand out relief. It’s time to look at the drainage system and do something about it. We’ve decided to fix this once and for all.”

GARID Project Coordinator, Dr. Ohene Sarfo, in an earlier press briefing on April 13, 2025, acknowledged that flood control interventions were ongoing. However, the Minister for Works and Housing, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has admitted the project’s pace has been slower than expected—an admission that still reflects the current situation.

For now, while the Odaw’s calm after the storm brings hope, residents are calling for a more sustainable, community-engaged and forward-thinking approach to flood management—before the rains return in full force.