Perennial Flooding In Parts Of Ghana

NEWS COMMENTARY ON PERENNIAL FLOODING IN PARTS OF GHANA AND MEASURES TO CURB IT

2018 AND YET ANOTHER FLOODING IN ACCRA. Lives lost, properties destroyed and then the Decision-Makers get in a helicopter to fly over Accra to survey the extent of devastation. For goodness sake when will the joking stop. Surely, it will end there just like the proverbial vulture that pretends to be concerned about its place of abode at the onset of the rains only to get back to other things till the next rain. This annual ritual that has gone on for many years without any solution in sight and the apparent repeat of the usual thing should raise concerns among Ghanaians.  When will Accra be free of the perennial flooding? Do we have Engineers and leaders with a determination to find solutions to this annual event? Whenever it rains heavily, Accra gets flooded and it is repeated over and over again, irrespective of which government is in power.  Politicians will fly over the City and make empty promises about stopping the problem. Then we return to business as usual. When it dries up, people will continue to build in water-ways, throw waste into gutters and all over the place, streams will get choked with sand and rubbish. The open gutters that are either too small or choked with rubbish are no match against the rain water. Is there an answer? Are our leaders and engineers equipped to solve this problem? Are we willing to obey the rules and take measures to end the floods in Accra and other parts of the country? 

Answers to these questions would surely give us a clue on whether we are serious or joking with our own destiny. If we cannot care so much about the lives that are lost to flooding, then we are a bunch of unserious people.  In some other jurisdictions, officers mandated to take care of such sectors of our lives, would either be resigning or having their appointment terminated. Salaries go with output and those feeding on taxpayers monies must be accountable to the people. Thus, city authorities ought to be questioned over their stewardship and failure to change the trend. Though we have laws and bylaws on the protection of our environment, especially drains and water bodies, the incidence of dumping refuse and other solid wastes into our drains, goes on with sheer abandon.  It is time we took the bull by the horns to nib this unacceptable ritual in the bud to save lives and property. A timetable should be set immediately to clear all buildings in waterways and desilt all drains.  Though it may not assume the format of the revolution days, it should be rigorous and vigorous without fear, favor or political consideration. The cosmetic ritual approach to the flooding must stop and the time is now.

DR. KOFI AMPONSAH-BEDIAKO, DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS, GHANA STANDARDS AUTHORITY.
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