Kumasi: Mr. Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, the Minister for Works, Housing, and Water Resources, has announced Government's decisive action to tackle the perennial flooding challenges in Kumasi. He stated that the initiative is part of President John Dramani Mahama's reset agenda aimed at enhancing urban resilience and safeguarding livelihoods.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Minister made this announcement during a stakeholder validation workshop with the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council and officials from selected Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies within the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area. Mr. Adjei highlighted the engagement of two international consultancy firms, Deltares from the Netherlands and INES from Spain, to conduct technical studies that will inform the design of a comprehensive flood mitigation project for Kumasi and its surrounding areas.
Deltares is tasked with a basin-wide study of the Wiwi, Sisa, and Aboabo river basins, which are the primary catchment areas contributing to flooding in the metropolis. This study will focus on identifying the root causes of flooding and proposing early-stage solutions as a first step toward long-term interventions. Meanwhile, INES will conduct an in-depth flood vulnerability assessment in Asawase and Aboabo, communities highly susceptible to both flooding and poverty. This assessment aims to recommend targeted mitigation measures to protect residents and reduce flood disasters in these areas.
Mr. Adjei emphasized that the findings from both studies will be instrumental in developing the Kumasi Resilient Project, a significant initiative designed to protect the city from recurring flood disasters. Mr. Santiago Ezequiel Arias, a Senior Urban Development Specialist at the World Bank, pledged the Bank's support for the initiative. As the Task Team Leader for the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project, Mr. Arias assured the Government of the World Bank's commitment to effective flood control measures in Kumasi and across the nation.
Earlier, the Ministry's delegation paid a courtesy visit to Dr. Frank Amoakohene, the Ashanti Regional Minister, who commended President Mahama for prioritizing flood control in the Ashanti Region. He assured the Government of the unwavering support of Kumasi residents to ensure the project's successful implementation. Workshop participants expressed optimism that the planned studies and interventions will significantly reduce the city's vulnerability to flooding.
