Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Alfred Vanderpuije has replied cynics who say comments by the authorities that Wednesday's destructive floods provide an opportunity to reengineer the city, are all too familiar statements that mean nothing.
“We have to be a nation of hope and a nation of positive [ideas],” the AMA boss snapped, insisting plans were underway to redirect the physical structure of the nation’s capital to ensure that floods of yesterday’s magnitude are consigned to history.
He said the National Democratic Congress government was one of change and was determined to reverse the current situation where physical structures are sited without regard to planning.
Large parts of the capital were Wednesday ravaged by floods resulting in the loss of nine lives and property running into hundreds of millions of Ghana Cedis.
Floods are perennial in Ghana especially in the capital, Accra, but yesterday’s floods were extremely devastating and President JEA Mills, touring the flood ravaged areas, said the destruction ought to be used as an opportunity to formulate and implement policies that would forestall such occurrences, but many are not convinced that anything will change.
Last year, following similar floods in Accra, veteran journalist Kwaku Sakyi-Addo in a powerful introduction to the then Current Affairs Programme on Joy FM, Front Page, said, 15 years ago, the very first edition of the programme discussed floods in Accra. He said since then, a dozen Metropolitan Chief Executives had passed, a thousand assembly men had passed, presidents had come and gone but the floods in Accra remained. “In fact when it comes to this subject, I’m cynical,” he stated.
But the Mayor of Accra believes there should be no place for such cynicism. He said Ghana now has the kind of leadership that is needed to change things.
“I am very optimistic; I know we can get it done, I know we will get it done…and some day, very soon, we will see that Accra is devoid of such conditions,” he noted.
++++++
Related :
Ghana : Flood victims demand compensation from government
Some victims of Wednesday’s flood are demanding compensation from government to help them revive their businesses.
The victims, mostly traders near the Odorna River, lost property running into thousands of Ghana cedis following floods that hit the capital city.
Nine persons also lost their lives to the floods, while some affected traders who spoke to Citi News say the disaster is a natural phenomenon which was inevitable while others have blamed it on negligence.
Traumatized and homeless, flood-hit residents of Accra are still counting their loses a day after marauding flood waters swept through their homes, washing away millions worth of property.
Although officials of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) say they have been on the ground offering relief assistance to victims.
Visits by Citi News reporters to areas affected by Wednesday’s disaster revealed that several hundreds of people are without food, good drinking water and clothing.
At areas such as Christian Village near Achimota, Domi Pillar 2, Adabraka Sahara, Adabraka official town, Graphic Road and Sodom and Gomorrah, there was evidence of massive destruction to residential and industrial property, goods and raw materials.
Workers at flood-battered offices along the graphic road, were seen cleaning and collecting flood waters left on their premises. Others called in huge haulage trucks to help cart tonnes of industrial raw materials damaged by the floods.
Along the streets of Accra, tones of garbage made up of electrical appliances lined the streets, with scavengers digging through the rubble in search for treasure.
+++++++
Prez Mills commits resources to prevent future flooding
The President of Ghana, John Evans Atta Mills says he has committed resources towards building storm drains in the Greater Accra Region and other parts of the country to prevent future flooding.
President Mills announced the plan when he met Accra Mayor Alfred Vanderpuije at the castle on Thursday to strategize towards averting future flood disasters.
According to President Mills, the NDC government will source funding to find long term solutions to the perennial flooding situation of Accra and other parts of the country.
He however noted that putting a stop to the construction of illegal structures will greatly help solve the problem in the interim.
“We must also as a nation take steps to implement risk disaster reduction policies. There are some of these disasters that we can prevent. If we cannot prevent them totally, we can take steps to make sure that we reduce the effect of these situations.
“One of them is the intolerable situation where people are blatantly building on waterways. There is also the need for Government to encourage the construction of storm drains. In this connection I want to assure you that we are sourcing for funds to construct the storm drains.
President Mills has also called for a multi-partisan debate leading towards finding a lasting solution to the flood problem…
Copyright, Blaise APLOGAN, 2010,© Bienvenu sur Babilown
Toute republication de cet article doit en mentionner et l’origine et l’auteur sous peine d’infraction
Commentaires