BY HAFSA OBENG, GNA
ACCRA, JUNE 3, GNA – SURVIVORS OF THE JUNE 3 TWIN DISASTER HAVE APPEALED TO THE GOVERNMENT AND CORPORATES TO HELP THEM ‘REORGANISE’ THEIR LIVES.
THEY SAID THEY WERE GRADUALLY LOSING THE BATTLE FOR GOOD HEALTH AND PRAYED FOR TIMELY INTERVENTION FROM THE GOVERNMENT.
MR THOMAS SEKYI, CHAIRMAN OF THE JUNE 3 FLOOD AND FIRE VICTIMS ASSOCIATION, SAID “THIS YEAR, IF WE DO NOT RECEIVE WHAT RIGHTLY BELONGS TO US FROM GOVERNMENT, WE WILL SERIOUS FIGHT FOR JUSTICE.”
SPEAKING AT THE SEVENTH-YEAR COMMEMORATION OF THE DISASTER, MR SEKYI SAID LIFE HAD NOT BEEN EASY FOR THEM AS THEY STRUGGLED TO MAKE ENDS MEET TO CATER FOR THEIR FAMILIES, AND SEEK MEDICAL CARE.
HE SAID APART FROM SOME MONIES THEY RECEIVED FROM THE GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE BENIN GOVERNMENT, SINCE 2015, NOTHING HAD BEEN GIVEN THEM.
MR SEKYI NOTED THAT COMMEMORATING THE DAY OFTEN CAME WITH BAD FEELINGS, ADDING THAT, “WE KNOW IT IS ONLY GOD WHO HAS BEEN WITH US ALL THESE YEARS, EVEN THOUGH NO ONE HAS COME TO OUR AID IN A LONG TIME. AND WE CONTINUE TO SEEK FOR HIS BLESSINGS AND TOTAL CURE FROM OUR PREDICAMENT.”
THE MUNICIPAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE FOR THE KORLE KLOTTEY MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY, NII ADJEI TAWIAH, SAID THE TWIN DISASTER WAS A MEMORY THE MUNICIPALITY WOULD CONTINUE TO REMEMBER FOR YEARS.
HE SAID FLOODING IN ACCRA HAD PERSISTED FOR YEARS AND THAT THERE WAS THE NEED FOR A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BY STAKEHOLDERS TO BRING IT TO AN END, ADDING THAT THE ASSEMBLY WAS PUTTING IN MEASURES IN PLACE TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM WITH SENSITISATION, RELOCATION OF STRUCTURES AND FREQUENT DREDGING AND DESILTING OF DRAINS.
NII TAWIAH ADDED: “GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE WORKS AND HOUSING MINISTRY HAS MANAGED TO GET THE ASSEMBLIES WORKING MORE CLOSELY TOGETHER AND PROVIDING TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES UNDER THE GREATER ACCRA RESILIENT AND INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT PROJECT (GARID).”
THE PROJECT WORKS TO IMPROVE FLOOD RISK AND SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN THE ODAW RIVER BASIN AND IMPROVE ACCESS TO BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES IN THE TARGETED FLOOD-PRONE LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES IN THE GREATER ACCRA REGION.
THE WORLD BANK-FUNDED PROJECT IS THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF PROJECTS DESIGNED TO BUILD THE RESILIENCE OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL WITH THE INITIAL PHASE COVERING A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD BETWEEN 2020 AND 2025.
“LET US COLLECTIVELY ENSURE PROPER SANITATION CONDITIONS IN OUR SURROUNDINGS TO GUARANTEE SAFETY AND RESILIENCE IN ANY FLOOD DISASTER THAT MAY OCCUR IN THE FUTURE.”
WREATHS WERE LAID ON BEHALF OF THE AFFECTED FAMILIES, GOVERNMENT, AND TRADITIONAL AUTHORITIES.
ON JUNE 3, 2015, ABOUT 152 GHANAIANS LOST THEIR LIVES WHILE OTHERS SUSTAINED VARIOUS DEGREES OF INJURIES, AND SOME, DISPLACED THROUGH THE TWIN-DISASTER.
DURING THE DOWNPOUR, FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE GOIL STATION AT THE KWAME NKRUMAH CIRCLE CAUGHT FIRE FROM A CIGARETTE STUB NEAR THE AREA, RESULTING IN AN EXPLOSION ALONGSIDE THE FLOOD.
GNA
