June 20, 2021

Improving liveability in Accra with sustainable water management

Ramboll has been selected by the global infrastructure company QGMI to do the conceptual and preliminary designs for the renovation of a highly neglected, yet important drainage area in Accra, Ghana.

The Nima Drain is an approximately 7 km long drainage channel located along the Nima-Maamobi stretch, which is home to 116,749 residents living in dense, poor, flood-prone neighborhoods. It is one of the most important water drainage channels in Accra but is currently seen as a service corridor and an area for stormwater drainage, waste, and wastewater disposal. With time, poor maintenance and the large amounts of solid waste have left the surrounding settlements with an inefficient drainage capacity followed by frequent flooding during the rainy season.
The Nima Drain Rehabilitation project is part of a large-scale development of the Nima Drain area that will provide environmental enhancement and urban regeneration, which can help to redefine the district and build on the rich legacy and culture of the local community. Ramboll’s key tasks in the project are to:
  • Form a baseline by reviewing existing data and design ideas.
  • Present project vision including conceptual integrated solutions and design ideas for the area.
  • Prepare preliminary design for the sewage systems.
  • Update the previously developed bill of quantities to reflect the adjusted design elements.
Using blue-green solutions to enhance social and environmental sustainability
With the Nima Drain Rehabilitation project, we actively contribute to reach the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The baseline study includes an in-depth project area understanding through site visits and stakeholder engagement supporting sustainable conceptual and preliminary design ideas. The Nima Drain Rehabilitation project intends to provide an integrated site-specific solution that will work to enhance and revitalize the corridor in its full extension. It will support biodiversity and promote a new urban, social setting and environment, which offers the opportunity to create a community space with a reduced carbon footprint that can be a beacon for future drainage developments.
The shared vision must be flexible, resilient, and human scaled. In short, this project aims to bring a higher quality of life for the residents through a more organized and logical allocation of functional spaces and sustainable features for social activities, flood mitigation, and public hygiene. Opposed to now, the new area will be walkable, bike-able, and useful for people of all ages.