We are really very sorry – Muntaka apologises as flood disaster claims 9 lives
Interior Minister Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak has issued an apology on behalf of the government to Ghanaians following the devastating floods that claimed nine lives and destroyed homes and property after torrential rains on Monday.
Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express, the Asawase MP acknowledged the pain caused by the disaster and admitted that the government could have done more. He insisted that officials had been working through the night as the crisis unfolded.
“Yes, we are truly very sorry for the loss of life. We regret that this disaster has severely affected Accra,” he stated.
He defended the government’s response, explaining that while there were advance warnings that June and July would bring heavy rains, the specific alert about Monday’s downpour was received late on Sunday night.
“If you ask the meteorologist, they did not predict that it would rain today. The actual alert came in at 11 PM on Sunday when the majority of Ghanaians were asleep,” he said.
Muntaka also disclosed that one of the immediate steps taken was coordinating with the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovation to send emergency messages to mobile phone users.
“I called him and asked for assistance in getting the telecom companies to send messages to the public. He responded promptly, and I believe that this is the kind of response we need,” Muntaka said, expressing gratitude to Sam George for his swift action.
