Kaneshie drainage project: Roads to Close September 7 for Major Works, Alternative Routes Announced

• The Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources announced road closures on the Dr Busia Highway starting September 7, 2026, for a major drainage project in Kaneshie
• The GARID Project will replace two existing pipes with a double-cell underground drain measuring 10 metres wide and stretching 1.5 kilometres
• Motorists will face traffic diversions in two phases, with some sections of the highway remaining closed until as late as August 2027

The Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources has announced the partial closure of the Dr Busia Highway at Kaneshie, Accra, beginning September 7, 2026, to facilitate the construction of a new underground drainage system.

Minister Ahmed Ibrahim announced at a media briefing on Wednesday as part of a public sensitisation campaign ahead of the traffic restrictions, which are being implemented under the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project.

The works come in direct response to the flooding of June 29, 2026, which caused widespread property damage, disrupted livelihoods and claimed lives across Accra and several coastal towns.

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The GARID Project Coordinator, Dr Kwadwo Ohene Sarfoh, explained that the current drainage infrastructure in Kaneshie consists of two pipes, each 1.2 metres in diameter.

These will be replaced with a double-cell rectangular underground drain approximately 10 metres wide, running 1.5 kilometres from Pamprom Junction to First Light Junction.

The new structure will connect to a recently completed section within the Accra Academy campus at one end and to the existing drain at Pamprom Junction at the other.

The road blocks were outlined at a press conference on August 26.

Phase-by-Phase Traffic Restrictions

The Traffic Management Plan will be rolled out in two phases. The first, beginning September 7, 2026, involves closing the westbound carriageway of the Dr Busia Highway from Pamprom Junction.

This will affect vehicles travelling from Korle Bu-Mortuary Road, Graphic Road, Obetsebi Lamptey Circle and Kwame Nkrumah Circle towards Pamprom Junction and First Light Junction.

The closure in this stretch is expected to last until the end of November 2026, with Dr Sarfoh indicating that Pamprom Junction should reopen to traffic in the first week of December 2026.

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The remaining westbound section from Kaneshie Station to First Light Junction will stay closed until August 2027 to allow drainage works to continue.

Motorists affected by the first phase can use the Awudome Cemetery Road, the New Times Corporation-Awudome Roundabout route, and the Oblogo-Mataheko route as alternatives. The Obetsebi Lamptey Interchange to Oblogo Traffic Light route, opposite the ICGC Christ Temple, connecting through Mataheko to First Light Junction, will also be accessible throughout the construction period.

The second phase covers the stretch from First Light Intersection to the Cocoa Clinic Roundabout and is scheduled between September and the end of October 2027. Vehicles from the Russia Community, the Flamingo Traffic Light, Kasoa and Odorkor will be among those affected.

Enforcement and Public Complaints

The Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service will manage traffic during the closures, working alongside the project contractor and city guards from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly and the Ablekuma Central Municipal Assembly.

Two toll-free lines on the MTN network, 0800 800 900 and 0800 500 600, have been established for public enquiries and complaints.

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The ministry said it was working to extend the service to the Telecel network.

Both Minister Ibrahim and Dr Sarfoh urged motorists, traders and transport unions to cooperate with the diversions, acknowledging that the works would cause disruption but describing permanent drainage infrastructure as essential to reducing future flooding in Kaneshie and surrounding communities.

Source: YEN.com.gh