Mahama Expresses Sympathy to Flood Victims, Announces Relief Support and Calls for Permanent Flood Solutions
President John Dramani Mahama has expressed sympathy to victims of the devastating floods that hit parts of Accra following Sunday’s heavy rains, assuring affected residents that government will provide immediate relief while pursuing lasting measures to tackle the capital’s perennial flooding.
Speaking after an aerial inspection of flood-affected communities, President Mahama described the extent of property damage as significant and conveyed his condolences to families and businesses that suffered losses.
“I just want to express my sympathy with people who have lost property. Loss of property has been very extensive,” the President said.
Mr. Mahama praised the efforts of the Ghana Armed Forces, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ghana Police Service, the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources, the 48 Engineers Regiment and other emergency response teams for their swift intervention.
He said he had watched videos of rescue personnel carrying stranded residents out of their homes and deploying boats to save lives in inundated communities.
“I’ve seen many of the videos where people had to be carried out of their houses. They deployed their boats, and they helped to save quite a lot of lives,” he noted.
The President announced that he has directed the Minister for Finance to release funds from the national contingency fund to support post-flood relief operations.
He explained that NADMO would continue identifying affected persons to ensure assistance reaches victims in the coming days.
“In the next few days, I’ve asked the Minister of Finance to release some money from the contingency fund so that we can do some post-flood relief for persons who have been affected,” he said.
Beyond the immediate response, President Mahama stressed the need for a permanent solution to Accra’s recurring floods, saying the country must move beyond responding only after disasters occur.
Using the analogy of someone who refuses to repair a leaking roof once the rain stops, he urged Ghanaians and relevant authorities to change their attitude towards flood prevention and take decisive steps to eliminate the causes of the annual flooding.
