Demo Hits Mahama In Kumasi

SCORES OF people held placards, some of which had unpleasant inscriptions on them, to welcome President John Dramani Mahama who visited Aboabo Number Two, a densely populated Muslim area in Kumasi, on Tuesday.

The number one gentleman of the land made the hurriedly arranged visit to the city to enable him inspect what caused the recent flooding in the area which claimed human lives, rendered hundreds homeless and destroyed property.

Even before the president's convoy arrived at the Aboabo Number Two bridge, where a mini durbar had been organised to welcome him, some Zongo youth boldly raised high their placards in protest against the NDC government.

The agitated youth, who claimed to be staunch National Democratic Congress (NDC) members, strongly accused the ruling government of being insensitive to the plight of people living near the Aboabo Number Two drains.

According to them, the Aboabo Number Two bridge looked old and small, adding that that was the main cause of the recent flood in the area, with their attendant tragedy; and claimed the MP for Asawase, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, was not helping them.

They also lambasted the MCE of Asokore Mampong, Alhaji Nurudeen Hamidan, accusing him of doing absolutely nothing to fix the old bridge, but rather taken delight in pulling down the structures of the affected victims.

Mahama Promises
President Mahama, who undoubtedly saw the anger of the people, promised that the Aboabo Number Two bridge, which was apparently contributing to the floods, would be reconstructed soon.

'The bridge, which was constructed several years ago, now looks small to contain the water that passes under it so I have ordered the Works and Housing people to reconstruct a new bridge in its place,' the president assured.

As it happened in Accra, he observed that the recent floods at Aboabo were partly caused by huge refuse dumped in the drains which prevented the flow of the water, claiming that he would order for the drains to be desilted in the coming days.

Relief Items
President Mahama presented assorted foodstuffs and other items to the hundreds of people who were displaced by the floods, saying it was government's duty to support the flood victims.

President Mahama, who was accompanied by the Regional Minister, Peter Anarfi Mensah and other government officials, also visited Anloga Junction, another flood-prone area in Kumasi, to have a view of what usually caused the floods.

The Sarkin Zongo, Alhaji Umar-Farouk Sultan, on behalf of the people, thanked President Mahama for the timely visit and his promise to reconstruct the old bridge and desilt the drains to stop the perennial floods in the area.

FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi