The GARID Project Coordinator, Dr Kwadwo Ohene Sarfoh, has announced that construction of a major underground stormwater drain along the Dr Busia Highway in the Kaneshie enclave will begin on September 7, 2026. The project is part of efforts by the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources to improve drainage capacity and reduce the recurring flooding experienced in the area.
The new facility will run from Pamprom Junction to First Light Junction and is expected to provide a significant improvement over the existing drainage arrangement serving the corridor. According to Mr Sarfoh, the project will replace two existing pipes measuring about 1.2 metres in diameter with a double cell underground rectangular drain.
The new drain will measure approximately 10 metres in width and stretch for about 1.5 kilometres along the affected section. It will connect with the recently completed drainage works within the Accra Academy campus at one end and link to the drain at Pamprom Junction at the other.
Explaining the scale of the intervention, the project coordinator noted that construction would cover the stretch from Pamprom Junction through to First Light Junction. He added that the works would be implemented in three phases to allow the project to progress while traffic arrangements are adjusted along the corridor.
The location of the construction has made temporary road closures necessary as excavation and drainage works proceed. The Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources has therefore worked with the Department of Urban Roads to develop alternative routes intended to keep motorists moving during the construction period.
Mr Sarfoh explained that the arrangements were designed to limit disruption while creating sufficient space for the construction teams to work safely. He further indicated that road users would receive information on the different stages before each phase begins.
“Given the scale and location of the works, temporary road closures along the section of the Dr Busia Highway will be unavoidable.”
Dr Kwadwo Ohene Sarfoh
The drainage intervention is expected to strengthen flood management within the Kaneshie enclave and adjoining communities. Its connection with existing infrastructure will also allow the new facility to form part of a wider drainage network serving densely populated areas of Accra.
Meanwhile, the project team has begun preparations to ensure that motorists understand the changes before construction starts. Signages and other information materials will guide road users on the locations of closures, turning points and designated alternative routes.
The project coordinator also indicated that public information would remain an important part of the implementation process. The arrangement is intended to give commuters sufficient time to plan their journeys and reduce avoidable disruption once construction begins.
Traffic Closures To Follow Phased Plan From September
The GARID Project will introduce a phased traffic management arrangement from September 7, 2026, as construction begins on the underground drainage system along the Dr Busia Highway. The first phase will involve the closure of the westbound carriageway from Pamprom Junction and will continue until the end of November 2026.
During the opening phase, vehicles travelling from Korle Bu Mortuary Road, Graphic Road, Obetsebi Lamptey Circle and Kwame Nkrumah Circle towards Pamprom Junction and First Light Junction will be affected. Motorists will instead be directed through routes including Awudome Cemetery Road, New Times Corporation to Awudome Roundabout and Oblogo to Mataheko.
The first stage is expected to be completed by the end of November, paving the way for Pamprom Junction to reopen during the first week of December. Once the junction reopens, motorists approaching from the affected corridors will be able to turn right at Pamprom Junction and join the designated routes towards First Light Junction.
Despite the reopening, a further section of the westbound carriageway from Kaneshie Station to First Light will remain closed until August 2027. This arrangement will allow the underground drainage construction to continue without interference from vehicular traffic.
The next stage will focus on the area around First Light Junction and will form part of the subsequent traffic management arrangements. From September 2027 to the end of October 2027, the road linking First Light Intersection on the westbound side to Koko Clinic Roundabout will be closed.
The closure will affect vehicles travelling from the community of Russia towards Koko Clinic Roundabout as well as motorists coming from Kasoa and Odorkor. Public announcements will be made ahead of the second phase to give commuters adequate time to adjust their routes.
“The public will be informed well ahead of the arrangements in this phase through the same communication channels that are being launched today.”
Dr Kwadwo Ohene Sarfoh
Additional routing options will remain available throughout the construction period. One such route will take motorists from the Obetsebi Interchange towards Oblogo Traffic Light, opposite the ICGC Christ Temple, before continuing through Mataheko and reconnecting with First Light Junction.
From the start of the programme, directional signages will be installed at strategic points along the affected corridors. These signs will indicate where motorists should turn and provide advance warnings ahead of road closures.
Traffic management will also receive support from the Motor Traffic and Transport Department of the Ghana Police Service and the relevant Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies. Their involvement will assist with traffic regulation and the enforcement of the approved diversion arrangements.
The project team has also established dedicated toll free channels to provide information and receive enquiries, complaints and traffic related reports. Members of the public can reach the GARID Project on 0800800900 or 0800500600 on the MTN network.
Arrangements are also underway with Telecel Ghana to extend the toll free service to its network before the road closures begin. The project team is encouraging motorists to use the designated alternatives and avoid the affected corridors where possible unless they have legitimate business within the construction zone.
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