Declare state of emergency to tackle flooding crisis — Bawumia tells government
Former Vice President and 2028 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has called on the government to consider declaring a state of emergency to deal with the devastating floods that have affected parts of the country.
His call follows hours of heavy rainfall on Monday, June 29, which caused widespread flooding in Accra and other communities, resulting in deaths, displacement of residents and extensive destruction of property.
Dr. Bawumia made the appeal during a visit to some flood-affected communities on Tuesday, June 30, where he also urged authorities to intensify rescue efforts and provide immediate support to victims.
"The forecasts are showing that even more rain will come, and if there is going to be more rain, I believe that the government could also consider even declaring a state of emergency... because this is a real big problem for this country," he said.
The former Vice President expressed concern over reports that a body had remained at one of the affected areas since the previous day, appealing to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the Ghana Police Service to retrieve it without delay.
He also cautioned against politicising the flood disaster, stressing that the situation requires national unity and practical solutions rather than partisan disagreements.
"I don't want what is happening to break down into a partisan battle amongst the parties. There's a real issue of flooding facing the Greater Accra Region, and that issue is something that requires immediate engagement and solutions," Dr. Bawumia stated.
He further called for all stakeholders, including engineers, hydrologists and other experts, to work together to develop lasting solutions to Ghana's perennial flooding challenge.
Dr. Bawumia also appealed to Ghanaians to support affected families with relief items, saying many victims have lost food, clothing and other basic necessities and require immediate assistance.