Floods: Accra is safer now than before - AMA boss
Accra is better prepared to deal with floods than the days prior to the June 3, 2015 disaster, the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije has said.
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According to him, the ongoing dredging of the Korle Lagoon and the Odaw River would help stem a recurrence of the disaster which claimed over 150 lives.
Mr Vanderpuije made these observations at a press conference in Accra to announce a series of activities to commemorate the first anniversary of the disaster.
On June 3, 2015, the Odaw River was overflown and caused floods after heavy rains. Storm drains at Nima and Odawna were also full to the brim causing intense flooding at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle.
Some pedestrians, who sought shelter at a GOIL Fuel Station at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle during the rains lost their lives when fire broke out at the station. Other businesses and houses located around the fuel station were also destroyed by the fire.
Speaking at the press conference, Mr Vanderpuije said, “The commitment to make sure that we remove all obstacles, de-silt and dredge the Korle and the Odaw to ensure free water flow will continue unabated. That is my assurance to the people of Accra and indeed the whole nation that the people’s capital is ever safe than before…”
“…Last week we had three or four days of severe rains and the city was able to withstand the circumstances and the aftermath of the rains… we will be very steadfast in our monitoring of the environment to ensure that we do not allow people to build in our waterways,” he noted.
One year anniversary
As part of activities to commemorate the first anniversary of the disaster, a non-denominational remembrance church service has been planned to be held at the Ernest Bruce Methodist Church at Adabraka on Friday, June 3.
It will be followed by Muslim prayers at the Central Mosque in Accra, a wreath laying and unveiling of a statue at the GOIL fuel station where the accident occurred.
On Saturday June 4, 2016, members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church would take their turn to pray for the victims and the event would be climaxed on Sunday with a prayer service with support from the Christian Council of Ghana, the National Catholic Secretariat, and the Pentecostal and Charismatic Council.