The National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, has questioned the government’s flood prevention and management efforts in the aftermath of recent severe rains in Accra and other regions of the nation.

In a Facebook post, the former President noted that many communities continue to flood with even moderate rain despite purported considerable expenditures in flood control.

“Given the enormous sums of money reportedly spent by this government on draining the Odaw and other flood control efforts, the current scenario is concerning. The government allocated $200 million for the Greater Accra Resilient Integrated Development Programme (GARID).

“While the impact of that huge amount and its intervention have yet to be felt, parliament was recently recalled to approve another $150 million for the same GARID.

Mahama emphasised that protecting the lives and properties of citizens should be a top priority for any government, stating, “The current administration has failed in this regard.”

Below is the full post

The recent heavy downpours in Accra and other parts of the country have led to extensive destruction of property and, according to reports, the loss of life of a young schoolboy.

This has exposed the government’s failure to manage and prevent floods effectively and evokes deep concern about its lack of a comprehensive flood prevention and management plan. Many areas that in the past were unaffected by flooding today become inundated with the least rainfall.

Considering the huge sums of money allegedly spent by this government on draining the Odaw and other flood prevention interventions, the present situation is distressing. According to the government, $200 million was spent on the Greater Accra Resilient Integrated Development Programme (GARID). While the impact of that huge amount and its intervention have yet to be felt, parliament was recently recalled to approve another $150 million for the same GARID.

Protecting the lives and properties of our people should be a top priority for a government. The current administration has failed in this regard.

Given the opportunity to lead our beloved country again, a new NDC government under my leadership will not rest until we find an engineering solution to the persistent flooding and implement an effective prevention and management plan. Our commitment to this cause is unwavering, and we are determined to bring about the change our nation desperately needs.

This will include investing in sustainable drainage systems, clearing structures in waterways, proper waste management, and proactive measures to mitigate the impact of heavy rains. We are committed to bringing about the change that our nation needs.

We cannot afford to continue risking the lives and livelihoods of our people. It is time for real change and real solutions. Let us, as Ghanaians, as a community, unite and work together to build a safer and more resilient Ghana.

Your voice and action are not just important; they are crucial in this endeavour. Together, we can make a difference.

Your voice and action are crucial in this endeavour as we work towards building the Ghana we want together.

#Mahama4Change2024
#NDC
#FloodPrevention
#LetsBuildGhanaTogether

The Dansoman court granted Hopeson Adorye, a senior activist in the Movement for Change, bail of GH¢20,000 with two sureties.

The ruling came after Adorye’s detention and subsequent court appearance on May 23, 2024.

Adorye was detained after making statements on an Accra-based radio station that has now gone viral, claiming that dynamite exploded in the Volta Region during the 2016 General Election.

Yaw Buaben Asamoa, a senior player in the Movement for Change, believes Adorye’s detention was politically motivated.

Hopeson Adorye, a key member of the Movement for Change who has been detained, had a verbal altercation with a police officer as he was being led out of the police headquarters on Wednesday, May 22.

He attempted to talk with his lawyer, Ken Kuranchie while being put into a police car, but the officer interrupted and instructed him to proceed rapidly inside the car.

It was at this moment that he yelled to the police officer, “I’m talking to my lawyer, please, and you’re obstructing me. What is the significance of that? Are you the sole police officer?

The police apprehended him on Wednesday after he claimed to have ignited explosives in the Volta Region during the 2016 general elections.

Mr Adorye remarked during a radio broadcast in Accra, and it has since gone viral.

In an interview with Joy FM, Yaw Buaben Asamoa, a former Member of Parliament for Adenta and current member of the Movement for Change, stated that the arrest is politically motivated.

He stated, “Hopeson Adorye is not about to flee Ghana or his house since the police aim to prosecute him with the dissemination of fake information.

“So, to go to the extent of keeping him all day in the police station and bringing him over to the Ministries to detain him, you point fingers backward at yourself that there is something political at play and it’s not fair,” he said.

“This is obviously politically motivated, there is no doubt about that,” he said.