Calamity Hits Ghana

Unrelated catastrophic incidents of a gas explosion in Accra and a capsized canoe in the Ashanti region caused the death of some 15 persons over the weekend and the number is feared to rise.

The fire caused, apparently by a gas explosion in a busy suburb of Accra, the Atomic Junction area, occurred Saturday evening, prompting the vice President. Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia to cut short his tour of the Northern Region and rush down to Accra to attend to what could pass for a national disaster.

“As at 11: 30 Sunday morning, at least seven persons have been confirmed dead, and 132 injured, out of which 64 have been discharged and 68 still receiving treatment,” the statement signed by Information Minister…An investigation has commenced into the cause of the explosion, and shall be followed with firm action to forestall future similar recurrences, ” an official statement signed by the Minister for Information, Mustapha Hamid noted.

The vice President, after touring medical facilities where the injured were receiving treatment gave an assurance that there would be an immediate policy directive to forestall such occurrences.

He applauded the security agencies and health sector for the swift response in dealing with the disaster and the selfless service they exhibited from Saturday dusk till Sunday dawn.

The President, Nana Akufo-Addo, in a statement over the accident noted: “It is time these incidents came to a stop in Ghana. We cannot continue with them…I have asked the Vice President to go back to Accra to see with his own eyes, and that of the Minister for Interior, what has taken place. We are going to have to come out with a clear policy on how to prevent such incidents in the future.”

President Akufo-Addo made this known on Sunday, the third day of his tour of the Northern Region, when he worshipped with congregants at the Tishigu Anglican Church, in Tamale.

The President said : “Cabinet will be meeting on Thursday, [12th October, 2017] and, I believe, out of that meeting, the country will know what our programme is, the comprehensive programme we intend to have to bring such incidents to a stop.”

 

The President stressed that the gas explosion at Atomic Junction “is one too many. We cannot afford anymore.”

He, therefore appealed to “everybody involved in the industry to recognise that we all have to make adjustments to be able to guarantee the safety and security of our people, so these things do not happen again.

“I need your support, and the co-operation of the people of Ghana to make sure that the policies that we will be bringing out succeed, so that such incidents become a thing of the past and not of our future.”

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in a statement signed by Koku Anyidoho, the party’s Deputy General Secretary in charge of Operations expressed the party’s utmost and heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in yesterday’s unfortunate gas explosion at the Atomic Junction in Accra.  

“In this time of grief for the whole nation in general, and in particular for the families of the deceased as well as those who are injured and have lost valuable properties, we pray that the Lord Almighty showers divine mercies and grace on them to be able to go through these very trying moments…. 

“The NDC is assured in hope, that the Government of Ghana, will do all it takes to bring relief to the victims and families of those who have been hard-hit by the explosion”, the statement noted.

Source: The Publisher