Quite
frankly, I have been cringed by events that have dogged and shaken the very
foundation of our country in the past weeks. The array of tragic events have
been so sensitive and crippling that I have had difficulties putting my
thoughts together anytime the urge to share an opinion beckons.
Perhaps,
that is the reason for which I have starved my many avid readers across the
length and breadth of the world, most of whom have relied on my writings to
keep tabs on critical issues in my country.
In
the past weeks, our country has experienced the worse form of flooding, the
severity of which has been compared with the similar occurrence in 1995, a
tragedy that was reported to have sent the nation’s capital tumbling.
At
the time, I was only half a decade old. Need not add that I was not old enough
to fully appreciate the extent of its intensity. Maybe, my parents who were to
brief me on the sorry event of 1995, were at the time not in Accra and
certainly did not have a firsthand information. I could therefore not call on
them for some education in that respect.
So
when a man at the accident scene turns into a pseudo- historian, narrating with
vivid imagery, the 1995 flood incident in Accra, I could not help but summon
and surrender the raptness of my attention him.
My FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE
After
work a day after the torrential rain, I walked through the rubbles of a ravaged
city: one that has been shook to its foundation. The economic hub of the
capital, Circle, at this time was a pale shadow of its former look. This time,
the city had been marauded by dirt-(greater portion comprising rubbers,
plastics,) rendering it almost unmotorable. Commuters had to slouch their way
through the muddy rubbles of the rain.
The rain which would not be compensated, appeased
or even pamper to the fact that the Accra Mayor was somewhere receiving a best
Mayor award, had once again exposed our vulnerability and our reactive approach
to solving pressing issues of our country.
‘‘Most unfortunately, human
lives were lost.’’
GOVERNMENTS’ REACTION
As
for the reactions and the interventions of the government, I do not want to
spend so much time analyzing or sharing my opinion on them. The fact is that
these responses are not anything different from the many others that we have
witnessed since the genesis of flooding in Accra and some densely populated areas
in the country.
Who
told you the response will be any different from the usual rescue efforts, knee
jerk demolitions and streams of unfeasible promises intertwined with consolatory
speeches and demeanor?
I
have grown a thick skin, almost a callous heart, to these rituals and will not
even fall for them.
Already,
some structures in some part of the capital are at edge. Their owners have been
asked to vacate the premise to pave way for demolition. Sadly, a popular ‘Waakye’
joint I visit almost every morning on my way to work, has been affected.
Well,
they will be sacrificed. The neck of the poor masses who cannot afford to rent
a descent places for both residential and commercial purposes, given the skyrocketing
amounts charged in the name of rent advances, will be on the guillotine. Yes,
the impression will be given as though their presence accounted for the
disaster.
Indeed,
government and its functionaries cannot be blamed. Their reactiveness and loose
promises cannot be criticized. Their inability to enforce the laws and their callous
lack of political will in ending a perennial challenge should be left out of
the hook.
Yes,
they want us to accept that the payments these occupants make to them do not
constitute a tacit endorsement of their activities.
Corporate Reaction
It is an opportunity to
show to all and sundry that their Corporate Social Investment policies of were
in full force. Streams of donations running into millions of cedis have been
donated by some corporate organizations.
As expected the media
will be inundated with publications and other photo-reports in that regard. In
fact, this is the time PROs of these companies would want to show how concerned
their organizations are.
While I commend these Corporate
Organizations for their kind gesture, I think they need to be more proactive in
their quest to show us that they are truly concerned. I will not have them to
also adopt a reactive approach in this regard.
I would rather that these
Organization set up a ‘Disaster Foundation’ which will seek to educate and
sensitize the citizenry on environmental related issues. May be, the foundation
may want to engage stakeholders groups, including technocrats and support civil
society Organization to pressurize governments and other state actors to
implement the plethora of laws and policies that are sitting our books.
It is clear that governments
by themselves cannot raise the needed funds to implement the many policies that
borders on environmental protection. It will therefore, be consistent with the
spirit of good will and Public Private Partnership for Corporate Ghana to
support governments efforts.
This will be proactive
and not reactive public relations. This will be save lives rather than compensate
for irrevocable loss of lives.
Conclusion
May I at this point
express my deepest condolences to the families who have made dear losses, be it
financial, infrastructural or most importantly, human. May the Lord sustain and
replenish you in this trying moments.
Samuel
Osarfo Boateng,
(Author, ‘‘DATES WITH MY EYES’’)
Blogger,
Freelance Writer and Researcher.
