A security Consultant, Nana kweku Ofori Atta has revealed that the recent flooding experienced in the Volta Region (North Tongu) as a result of the release of the excess water in the Akosombo dam requires the expansion of desilting of the dam to decrease the density of the water
He said the incident should be a wake-up call for government to draft and present a state of emergency proposal before parliament aimed that preparing for a national intervention policy to protect people and properties around the Volta lake and the Volta River
In a statement, Nana Kwaku Ofori Atta noted that “Life is precious and I think it’s time for our leaders to sit on the negotiation table and dialoguing to resolve these crises that hit the nation and its citizens unexpectedly. ”
“It will be appropriate for government to include safety measures and maintenance policies as a key criterion for private individuals who apply for contracts such as construction of dams, shopping mall centres, market places, amusement centres, lorry parks, etc to prevent disasters from occurring.”
“It will be appropriate for the Ghana Fire Service to inspect all these places mentioned above to ensure that fire service stations are built within their premises before these centres starts to operate?
“Government must also collaborate with the Ministry Of Energy to take drastic strategic steps to stop or minimise such disasters from threatening human lives .Perennial flooding across major cities in Ghana poses a significant threat to the government’s accelerated socio-economic development agenda. Lives have been lost, properties destroyed, people displaced, transport links disconnected, economic activities disrupted and livelihoods uprooted because of flooding.
I think it’s time government takes bold decision in dialoguing with paramount chiefs across the country to stop selling lands around the pathway of our water bodies to avoid the numerous flooding crises, and also caution a governmental institution such as Town and Building Planning (Lands Commission) to stop issuing license/permits for inhabitants encroaching these pathways.
Visiting flood areas by leaders, donating to flood victims is not the solution to resolve such crisis as a state. I think resolving these crises require an urgent attention of parliament to pass a law (national intervention policy) to secure lives and properties during disasters such as flood, fire out breaks, gas explosions etc.
Let’s not procrastinate for another crisis to hit the nation to run commentary with the state of national affairs which leads to know where.
Politics is ok, but there is a need for leaders to remind themselves with their “oath of office” as public servants of the land.
Let’s secure our environment, communities, societies and the nation at large by protecting lives with good policies, securing our dams with good engineering maintenance culture in order not to destroy the hydroelectric power equipment that help supply the nation hydroelectric power to pollution.
