President Nana Akufo-Addo has finally commented on the deaths from flooding incidents over the last two weeks after criticism from Ghanaians following his quick commiserations to France following the fire at the Notre-Dame cathedral fire.
In a Facebook post hours after the fire gutted the 850-year-old building, President Akufo-Addo conveyed condolences to France to the ire of many Ghanaians who questioned the President’s lack of regard for his own citizens.
Following the widespread backlash, the President acknowledged the deaths that resulted from recent flooding incidents in a series of tweets.
“The news of the death of 12 persons in the recent flooding that hit our nation’s capital is very sad. My sincere condolences to the families of the deceased,” the President said.
He also noted some of the government interventions to counter the flooding that claimed the lives.
“GH¢197 million has been released to the Ministry of Works and Housing to desilt choked drains, the contracts for the works have been awarded, and are ongoing.”
“Beyond addressing issues of infrastructure, our attitudes towards sanitation have to change as well, in order to help tackle the problem of the perennial flooding of Accra. Every effort is being made by the public authorities to deal with this problem,” he added.
But these condolences are likely to be too late for the Ghanaians were upset at the President’s prioritisation of tragedies from foreign countries amid Ghana’s pressing challenges.
A number of aggrieved citizens also highlighted recent challenges with power and market fires within the past few months.
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citinewroom
