Lead from the front in ending Accra floods - Dr Nduom tells Prez Mahama
The Founder of the Progressive People’s Party, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, has called on the President to “lead the from the front” by taking drastic steps to end the flooding in Accra.
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Commenting on Facebook Thursday, following floods that devastated parts of Accra, leading to the death of over 100 people, Dr Nduom urged the President John Mahama to go beyond the usual political rhetoric to demonstrate the kind of leadership needed to end flooding in Accra.
He was not impressed by a comment the President made Thursday, which suggested that sympathy for ordinary Ghanaians had prevented the government from taking drastic measures – such destroying houses on waterways – to end the flooding.
“The fact that we have not been able to take "measures that are drastic" points to weak-kneed leadership. Good leaders solve problems, fix what is broken. And sympathy? What is sympathy when you are dead or your business is destroyed?” Dr Nduom said.
The PPP leader expressed his commitment to supporting, “concrete, specific, needed action” to end the flooding, saying: “All I ask is for the President to lead from the front.”
In what exemplified how widespread Wednesday’s devastation was, Dr Nduom revealed that his private businesses had been affected, leading to the loss of valuable investment.
He said: “Following floods in Accra last year, some of my businesses lost valuable, expensive equipment and stock meant for sale. We built new drainage systems, built new walls, fortified our warehouse, etc. Once again, due to the recent rains, all our individual investment have gone to waste because the water way near us at Avenor burst its banks.
The former President candidate, however, pledged to not lay off workers.
“I just want President Mahama to fix this problem. He is the President of the Republic of Ghana.
“If government does not fix the public water way, what we do as private people and businesses will not work," he explained
Dr Nduom’s remarks echo fears that have been raised by a section of the public to the effect that, following Wednesday’s disaster, politicians will again make empty promises to fix the problem once and for all.
A celebrated playwright, Uncle Ebow, expressed this concern Thursday, saying, “The big men will go round inspecting today but in a few days, they will forget about the floods and damage.”
Uncle Ebow went on to criticise the Mayor of Accra, Mr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuye, asking him to fix problems facing Accra instead of collecting what he described as undeserved awards.