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.

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 party is in power.

Politicians will fly over the City, drive in flashy, expensive cars and make empty promises about stopping the problem. Then we return to business as usual.

When the city dries up, people will continue to build in water-ways, throw waste into gutters and all over the place and streams will get choked with sand and rubbish.

The open gutters that are either too small or choked with rubbish become no match against the rain water and the result is what we all know.

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 of 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 made accountable to the people.

Thus, city authorities ought to be questioned over their stewardship and failure to change the trend that they are employed to stop.

Isn’t it surprising that, 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.

Predictably, if nothing is done about this nuisance, one day we would have no other scenario than a rampaging youth taking the law in their own hands to salvage their destiny.

As was reported in the media, some angry residents of Teshie Rasta road in Accra blocked the Rasta Main Bridge where the late, Dr. Aya Hayfron, a medical doctor was swept away by last Monday night’s downpour.

According to the residents, until the authorities concerned came to completely rehabilitate the bridge, they weren’t going to allow motorists to use it.

They burned old car tires and heaped broken blocks on the bridge to prevent vehicles from crossing.

This should serve as a warning signal to our authorities that, some day, we might wake up rather too late to find a chaotic case of the people expressing their disgust at the irresponsibility through uncontrollable rage.

The lack of planning and resolute attempt at making Accra and other parts of the country free from the scourge of floods must become a thing of the past and those in authority ought to wake up to their responsibilities or leave the scene for committed people to take over.

As a solution, a timetable should be set immediately to rigorously and vigorously clear all buildings in waterways and desilt all drains of filth.

Though it may not assume the format of the revolution days, it should be without fear, favor or political consideration.

The cosmetic ritual approach to the flooding must stop and the time is now. We can’t play the vulture all the time.

BY RUTH ABLA ADJORLOLO

GBCONLINE

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