3 Flyovers For Accra

GOVERNMENT HAS announced its preparedness to commence the construction of three flyovers at some busy spots within the Accra Metropolis. This is to help reduce traffic congestion that normally builds up in these areas. The flyovers would be built at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, Obetsebi Lamptey Circle and 37 Roundabout, with a Brazilian facility to the tune of $200 million. Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, Chief Executive, Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), made the disclosure at the first ordinary meeting of the first session of the fifth Accra Metropolitan Assembly on Friday. The AMA boss, who however could not tell exactly when the projects would be commenced and completed, indicated that the construction of the three flyovers formed part of Government�s aim to further modernize the road infrastructure in Accra to reduce traffic congestion. According to Mr. Vanderpuije, other inner city/community roads in Okaikoi South and North, Ablekuma South and Abossey Okai, would also be supported with another Brazilian facility of $40m to ease the current heavy traffic there. Touching on environmental sanitation in the metropolis, Mr. Vanderpuije said waste management was draining the assembly�s coffers, adding that AMA�s indebtedness to waste contractors from 2008 stood at GH�7.1 million. Out of this, about GH�3.0 million had been paid, leaving a balance of GH�4.1 million. �2,200 tonnes of solid waste daily is generated. Out of this, 1,800 tonnes are collected, leaving a backlog of 400 tonnes daily. Before June 2010, only 20 percent of residents paid for the collection and disposal of refuse use they generated.� �The remaining 80 percent who reside in deprived communities paid nothing towards waste collection. The result is that the assembly therefore spent approximately GH�1million monthly, which worked up to over 75 percent of its annual internally-generated fund.� He reiterated that a World Bank sponsored survey in 2009, which prioritized toilet facilities as one major development concern, indicated that a large number of houses in Accra did not have decent sanitary facilities, adding that as a result of this, household sewerage were directly discharged into the sea at Lavender Hill, near Korle Gonno. �In order to control the situation, plans are far advanced to collaborate with an Israeli company to turn the environmental hazard of the Lavender Hill into a power generating outfit through the use of anaerobic digesters.� The construction of the Legon Sewerage Treatment Plant has started and is about 30 percent completed. On hygiene and household toilets, the AMA Boss noted that a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report of 2004 revealed that there were 65,000 food vendors in the metropolis. Most of these sellers sold food under unhygienic conditions. This situation, coupled with the fact that a large number of houses in Accra did not have decent toilets, contributed to the spread of diseases in the city. The AMA, in an effort to curb the situation, has established the AMA Sanitation and Motor Courts in three sub-metros namely Ablekuma Central, Okaikoi North and La. The courts have so far generated GH�2million into the Consolidated Fund. He therefore urged the assembly members to work together to support the assembly to transform the lives of the people in the metropolis.