Blame Akufo-Addo & his governmentt for fatalities recorded in recent flooding - Former NDC MP

A leading member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) believes the current administration cannot escape blame following the heavy rains that flooded many parts of Accra, leaving residents of the city devastated.

Former NDC Member of Parliament [MP] for the La Dadekotopon Constituency, Nii Amasah Namoale, is of the firm conviction that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his administration must be held accountable for the fatalities recorded in this week’s floods that hit the capital.

The rainy season may have started at the end of April, but it appears to have reached its peak this month as the city experienced a few downpours that left many areas flooded.

Last Monday, many residents in Accra were trapped in their homes as rushing rainwater filled their rooms. Similarly, the flood waters carried debris to people’s homes and on the street.

Some of the areas that were heavily affected by the floods included East Legon Hills, main Nanakrom bridge, Haatso, Kaneshie, Kwabenya, Madina, Ablekuma, Dome, Adenta, Ofankor, Weija, Okponglo, Shiashie, West Legon, Odawna and Ofankor old barrier.

Motorists were forced to make a detour or park their vehicles and move to safety as a few cars had been toppled by flood waters.

According to the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), 10 people in the Central, Volta and Greater Accra Regions had lost their lives as a result of the flood with several properties lost as a result of the situation.

Residents at Taifa junction, a suburb of Accra, could not salvage any of their properties as their homes and shops got flooded by the rain.

The former NDC MP, contributing to a panel discussion on UTV’s ‘Adekye Nsroma’ programme laid blame squarely at the doorstep of the NPP government.

“....the recent rains have caused much harm compared to last year because this government led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo has deliberately abrogated all drainage distillation contracts across the country,” he stated.

Hon. Namoale noted that the drainage distillation was a programme introduced by the previous administration following the infamous June 3rd, 2015 flood and fire disaster to curb problems of associated with choked gutters and blocked waterways, which caused the massive flooding at the time.

According to him, “the programme introduced by the then government under the watch of Ex-President John Dramani Mahama made it possible for the country not to suffer from the 2016/7 rains but the situation has changed in 2018, just because this government did not continue with the process".

Thus to him, the current administration cannot absolve itself from blame since the casualties could have been avoided