Negligence Of Duty

Since the rain disaster of the 3rd June, 2015, many discussions have been held on print and electronic media, covering almost every relevant aspect of the disaster but the sad news is that the causes are not new and the solutions are well documented for use by anybody who cares to know.

To buttress this point, few excerpts from an existing document amongst others 'Flooding in Accra Research Report' submitted by Dr. Peter A. Sam Jr on 24^th June, 2009 are reproduced for your reading pleasure.

'In Accra, low-lying areas are subject to severe perennial flooding, which is generally attributed to inadequately sized culverts, blockage of the major drains by accumulated silt caused by years of neglect and lack of maintenance. There is also the effect of tidal variations. The capacities of most rivers have been greatly reduced by the deposition of silt and garbage and weed growth in and along the river banks.

At the same time the amount of storm water runoff has increased several times in the last two decades as a result of increased residential, commercial, and infrastructure developments, which have produced more impervious surfaces in most drainage basins. In recent years, extensive road rehabilitation works have not only resulted in increased runoff but have also caused flooding, and erosion in some areas which had not known such problems in the past''.

The report further stated that 'Accra as in most urban centres in Ghana, provision of infrastructure facilities has substantially lagged behind the rapid rate of housing development. Inadequate storm water drainage is one of the most serious problems facing Accra today. Flooding in low-lying areas, erosion of steep slope areas, and pollution of streams by waste discharges, have been identified as the major environmental problems facing the city. These problems are interrelated in that, flooding is caused by insufficient carrying capacities of the respective streams, which have been brought about by the accumulation of silt brought into the streams by erosion and by blockages caused by solid waste deposited in the streams'.

'Flooding in Accra has become a perennial phenomenon. Over the past decade beginning in 1995, floods have claimed several lives, and destroyed public infrastructure and property. The rainfall of 4th July 1995 was the highest recorded in one event since 1936…… The 1995 floods caused damage to lives and property, disrupted infrastructure services like water supply, telephone, electricity, roads and railways. Seventeen (17) lives were lost in this flood while commercial and industrial activity was disrupted. The most affected areas were those located within the flood plain of the Odaw and the Onyasia rivers'.

The report finally concluded that to contain the situation the following combined solutions have to be found, namely engineering solutions, land use controls, solid waste collection and disposal and finally improved and coordinated maintenance of drains and drainage structure.

The above sums up the problem diagnosed and solutions recommended. However, SOLID WASTE to my mind is a major contributory factor but does not seem to attract the requisite attention even though it is always acknowledged. With my past experience as NADMO Coordinator, the three major contributory factors to the floods are the volume of water, inadequate drains and the volume of solid waste.

In the past solid waste has succeeded not only in blocking major drains but also some major streets as well and as was observed in recent floods solid waste covered more than twenty vehicles at Circle. Yes, structures in water ways are contributory factors but they are nowhere near solid waste in terms of volume and destructive power. The issue of solid waste emerging during the reign of the NDC Government who campaigned to clean Accra of filth within 100 days is not only embarrassing but amusing and the people of this country deserve some apology from the Government.

In our recent history, major floods in Accra occurred on the following dates, 29^th June,1971, 14^th July 1995, 13^theJuly,1997, 28^thJune,2001, 5^thMay,2010, 22^ndJune 2010, 24^thFebruary,2011, 1^stNovember 2013, 6^thJune 2014, 4^thJuly, 2014 and 3^rdJune, 2015. Out of the twelve dates listed, eleven of them took place during the PNDC and NDC regimes. With the frequency of the floods how could any serious Government and for that matter 'I care for you Government' fail to institute some urgent measures at least to mitigate the effects of the floods? What is sad about these events are that lives were lost, properties were destroyed, condolences were rendered, memorial services were held and compensations were paid. It has virtually become a ritual and the Government looks on and can't be bothered.

This is why I consider the various condolences and memorial services being organised by the Government as very hypocritical because some of the lives of the deceased could have been saved if the appropriate action on Accra floods had been taken since the Government took office.

Until President Kufuor constructed the major Alajo drains, Alajo used to be one major 'flood flash point' in Accra but today thanks to the constructed drains the people enjoyed some relief during the recent floods. It is therefore obvious that the construction of major drains and management of solid waste are the solutions to floods in Accra. Therefore any Government that fails to acknowledge the importance of this fact negligently exposes its citizens to the hazards of floods as we have experienced recently.

To attribute Government's inaction to lack of funds is laughable. Notwithstanding the Conti contract, this Government has obtained a total loan of over 70 billion Cedis within a period of six years and if floods in Accra have been considered a serious problem and a priority, money could have been found for the project. Today the Government's decision to construct an interchange at Nkrumah Circle instead of the construction of drains is highly debatable. To fail to acknowledge the floods in spite of the frequency is a shame to the Government that came to power on the slogan of 'I care for you' and could safely be concluded as a neglect of duty.

Nature has a way of exposing the follies of governments and individuals and makes bare the facts for such follies for everyone to see but unfortunately some of these exposures are made through disasters and the 3^rd June disaster is just one of them. The death toll in Accra floods is an indictment on the Government and makes mockery of all the gains it claims to have achieved. The construction of the Circle interchange is a misplaced priority. The 'dos Santo's Award' to the Accra Mayor as the best mayor of Africa is an insult to the intelligence of the people of Accra who continue to live in filth.

The taxpayer's money used to mount huge bill boards in the city of Accra and organise a conference for some 3000 delegates from Africa and the rest of the world was to garnish the Mayor's newly acquired reputation and this is an ample proof of how insensitive and reckless those at the helm of affairs manage our resources. The destruction of alleged structures on water ways is only a belated attempt by the Mayor to save his reputation. The Mayor's admission of having disappointed the people of Accra is appreciated but not enough and if he is principled as he professes to be, then he must resign and stop wasting our resources.

We live in a country where the tragedy of people provides ample opportunities for others to make money. Already more than ten organisations have launched 'appeals for funds' and God knows who is coordinating these activities, how donated monies will be accounted for and the criteria for its distribution.

The Government needs to pay compensation for its negligence and it should not be seen as a favour. We must note that compensation is not enough considering the emotional stress and financial difficulties the families are subjected to. I lost my younger brother at the Accra Sports Stadium disaster and even though compensation was paid, it was insignificant. Promises to see to the children's education through to the University level were never fulfilled and compensation can never fill the vacuum created in the respective families. I empathise with them and offer my sincere condolences to the bereaved families.

From the above it is clear that the Government of this country and its relevant institutions whose immediate responsibility is to institute lasting solutions have neglected their duties, failed to show commitment to their responsibilities, used lies, deceit and propaganda for solutions to problems and have mismanaged the resources that could have been channelled to give lasting solution to this worrying situation.

The 3^rd June disaster is not a natural disaster but rather human induced because we brought it upon ourselves through negligence and insensitivity. We need to be more serious as a nation and for once take immediate steps to construct huge drains to manage the floods in Accra because the rains will always come.

By Brig-Gen (Rtd) J. Odei