About fifteen (15) years ago, an Accra bound STC bus from Takoradi was involved in a fatal accident around 1am. This occasioned roundabout at the Komenda junction.
It was not until about 6am the following day (some five hours thereafter) that rescue operations was triggered. This was primarily due to logistical constraints of the requisite state agencies, particularly the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) and Ghana Police Service, whose duty, as it were, was to act thereon.
Many lives were lost and others seriously injured. Personally, l lost a work colleague and another colleague had the wife’s leg painfully amputated.
Flowing therefrom, l personally wrote to the Ghana National Fire Service making some recommendations to enhance their work and, again, avert such delays should they be confronted with similar or like incidents or accidents in future.
Ghana National Fire Service acknowledged receipt of my letter assuring me that steps were already in place to acquire some of the accoutrements mentioned, particularly flash lights tailored for night operations to enhance their work and, again, to avert such delays in future.
MELCOM DISASTER AND COMMITTEE REPORT
Some years thereafter, the Melcom disaster struck somewhere around Achimota in Accra. In this incident, the entire building housing a shopping entity collapsed killing and maiming scores. l believe the rescue mission which continued uninterrupted till the Israeli contingent arrived in the country to lend a helping hand was due to the improvement in Ghana National Fire Services logistical strength, else the exercise would have been truncated when sunlight dipped and darkness set in.
Though a Committee was constituted to delve into the cause(s) of the Melcom disaster, its findings were not made public – This is to the best of my knowledge. However, snippets of information and intelligence picked thereon was heart wrenching – the building, which was initially crafted as residential property had been converted into a commercial property without the requisite accompanying structural works (reinforcement of columns etc) to contain the burden associated with its commercialization, thus its collapse.
Granting the above assertion holds, then no one within the Assembly under the said jurisdiction was held to account, perhaps because the victims were “nobodies”. l believe that if the highly placed state official who missed the disaster by a hair breath had been a victim thereof, the narration would have been different – Animal
Farm on my fractured mind.
Characteristic of Ghanaians, the “Fama Nyame”, aka, “It’s God who gives and takes” mantra was triggered and the dust settled “peacefully”, after all, “kwasia na owu”. Not even an ‘ant’ was held to account. Meanwhile, persons and families had lost loved ones, but who cares and cared?
KINTAMPO GNFS IN THE NEWS
Oh no, just when l was going to the press, an unfortunate news trickled in, yet about Ghana National Fire Service. It reads, “KINTAMPO’S FIRE TENDER FAILED WHEN NEEDED MOST”. It continued, “TWO CLASHES IN 48 HOURS KILLED 13, INJURIES 45”.
By inference, GNFS woes are not yet over. It indeed beats my comprehension why the State has “neglected” and paid only lip service to such a vital institution whose impact is felt everywhere and by each person. In fact, l cannot think far that a strategic town as Kintampo can be without a functional fire tender and none is blinking an eye.
I believe if the rescue mission had been swift and timely, the needless loss of lives could have been averted and or mitigated. – Have we soon forgotten about the Komenda junction incident, the March 22, 2019 accident at Ampoma Nkwanta near Kintampo where over 70 lives perished? Have we lost our way as a Nation? What are our priorities? Bet me, we shall be talking about the same subject in a few months or years. Sad.
DISASTERS IN WAITING
Admittedly, l am no engineer nor possess not, an iota of knowledge of the building and construction fronts. The closeness l came to same was my botched attempt to read Architecture (Archito, banker) at KNUST. That was some forty plus years ago. Nonetheless, l believe l need not, that background and or backdrop before being equipped to smell some smoulding dangers.
Fancy the state of the Kaneshie pedestrian footbridge right in the Capital, its structural integrity, from my layman’s point of view, is suspicious and doubtful. Indeed one needs no Soothsayer nor Seer to inform all and sundry that it is a disaster in waiting, the rusted bridge having been turned into a shopping mall in the full glare of the authorities who should know and/or ought to know better.
The extreme edges of the pedestrian footbridge at Riss junction in Madina has been barricaded with loose planks – it is just a matter of time for someone to tip over. My heart goes to children, especially school kids, who must of necessity access same to and from school.
Meanwhile, pedestrians are being encouraged and urged by the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), the Police, CSOs in the road safety equation, among others, to access same when and whilst this danger persists. What is the La Nkwantanang Madina Municipal Assembly (LaNMMA) or whatever doing about this?
Has the Contractor been paid the full contract sum – that is even not the point, the barricaded edges must be sealed with some concrete or permanent seal to avert any imminent disaster, for should it occasion, no one will be held to account, aka, Provision is better than kiosk, sorry oooo, Prevention Is Better Than Cure.
Yah, visit Okaishie/Makola in the Central Business District (CBD) of the capital, Accra, and take a cursory, not microscopic, view of some of the structures housing cluster of stores. Some pillars and columns have had their iron rods protruding outside as if to extend pleasantries with customers patronizing the facilities, some concrete works peeled off exposing the iron rods therein, weak and soaked structures etc. The proximity of the aforementioned structures to the sea makes the issue pronounced. One can discern from “afar” that there is everything wrong with the structures but no one cares.
My question and worry are, where was the Inspectorate Division of the Assembly when the structures were being put up? What maintenance regime has been put in place by the Assembly for such structures which pose real and apparent danger to all and sundry.
Axiomatically, we all are sitting on a time bomb waiting to explode at any time – Did l hear the Vice President was at the scene of the Accra New Town disaster? – No comment(s).
LAWLESSNESS
There is a statutory buffer zone on both sides of erected electricity pylons, but what do we see and have been witnessing? These buffer zones have been seriously encroached upon in the full glare of Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), GRiDCo, Metropolitan, Municipal & District Assemblies (MMDAs) under whose jurisdiction such lines transverse up and down, National Security etc. with none blinking an eye.
At Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra, transport entities such as STC, 2M Express and O&A, among others, are all situated in these zones with none blinking an eye. The State is the worse offender, a typical case being a proposed facility situated at the GIMPA/University of Ghana intersection which l will revisit shortly – What a lawless State !!!
In the Ga East Municipality, a ECG substation has been constructed on a wetland near the Ahmadiyya Mission. What is nauseating about the whole scenario is, the Assembly has erected signposts thereon indicating that the parcel of land is a wetland. Not even the intervention of the Water Resources Commission (WRC) upon my prompting did change the equation. The Assembly claims it had no land save that parcel for the exercise makes no sense nor justification thereof.
It might interest readers to know that there is a statutory buffer between streams/rivers and any habitable structure(s) – 30m, that translates to some 100 feet thereabouts. This clear provision has been trampled upon by the Assembly as if it is no one’s business – Who Cares?
At and within the same Municipality, Ga East, at a location designated as Pure Water, signposts erected by the same Assembly as wetland has been ignored. Developers are filling and building thereon with such impunity in the full glare of the Assembly as if it is no one’s business. What sort of environment are we bequeathing to the unborn generations?
l was appalled on a visit to Abossey Okai some few years back. The entire first floor of a three-storey building had been stocked to the brim with used engines. Meanwhile brisk commercial activities was ongoing on the ground floor, the patrons quite oblivious of the danger on top of their heads – poor souls. Meanwhile, there are persons within the Assembly charged to nose such dangers and act thereon. Do you know the weight of an average used engine? Your guess is as good as mine.
As if the above is not enough, between the overhead rail line and Graphic Communications Group on the Graphic Road in Accra stands, yet another storey building whose entire first floor has been stocked to the brim with bags of rice etc. An average bag of rice is 50kg, if you care to know – add it to your vocabulary.
Need l add to? Everyone who matters in the equation including the Assembly, is looking on in blind pretence waiting for ubiquitous devil to do his job – bring the structure down one morning and in broad daylight. A structural integrity test to ascertain whether or not, the structure was designed to hold and host such weight on the first floor will be most welcomed in the public interest. Watching.
Right Of Way and road reservations have been encroached upon with such impunity as if it’s no one business with the tacit connivance of the MMDAs to the extent that contract sums are dashed out like ‘Fanti kenkey’ to pay compensations – recall a storey building was left intact in the middle of the Madina -Adenta stretch during its dualization whilst the case raged in Court – how do we build a Country with such mentality? Similar experience is being encountered by the Contractors executing the Kasoa-Winneba- Cape Coast- Takoradi road expansion project.
Yah, a thriving lorry park and market is situated right under the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange in Accra, damn its potential consequences should a vehicle tip over. The most disturbing part being the wing branch to Adabraka from Ring Road Central. All those who matter in the equation are much aware, but who will bell the cat? Oh yes, we are waiting for a disaster to strike and turn to the Devil for consolations.
Remember, an articulated truck once tipped over at Mallam junction killing all occupants on board – thanks to the Devil who orchestrated this unfortunate incident in the night when there was virtually no activities beneath, the narration would have been different.
Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly under whose jurisdiction GIMPA/Legon falls is looking on in blind pretence for a development to spring up at GIMPA/Legon intersection – damn the consequences on the encroached ECG, Ghana Highway Authority (GHA)/Department of Urban Roads (DUR) reservations. Added, the area is a protected area. Can you imagine the traffic buildup after the facility (National Tomatoe & Vegetable Value Chain Development – YEREDUA) or whatever is fully operationalized, AND WE ALL LOOK ON.
IRON RODS/CEMENT
About three years ago, l went to buy cement. In a conversation with the Boss therein, he painfully lamented how substandard cement were being produced/imported into the country (don’t tell me there is ban thereon for nothing works here) which has dire consequences for the construction and building industries. He added, the effects will not be immediate but in the next seven/ten years or more when buildings starts collapsing and caving in.
According to him, all players in the industry were well aware of the inherent dangers and all prompts to Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and the State agencies including National Security had gone unheeded for the obvious – “noko fio” and unbridled interferences from powerful quarters, especially the political class.
I recall the Trade Ministry directed some cement producing entities to cease operations in the previous regime because the quality of their produce was suspect only to be countered from a powerful quarter – in whose interest, if l may ask?
Dear Readers, It might interest you to learn and know that iron rods and its allied, per law and industry dictates, are not supposed to be left and displayed in the openings to and at the vagaries of the weather – rusting, corrosion, degradation, weaken structure, reduced lifespan, mention them.
Granting you are not even “lettered”, fancy the effects of the combination of rain, humidity and temperature fluctuations on these metals in the openings – the chemical reaction and “metabolism” which takes place within and without such metals makes it brittle and prone to breakages with dire consequences for the building and control industries.
Despite all the aforesaid effects, iron rods are left in the openings for sale as if it’s no one’s business.
INSTITUTIONAL FAILURES
Oh yes, Institute of Engineers, Surveyors, Building Technologists, Civil Engineers, Architects, Planners, National Security, Association of Roads & Building Contractors, AESC, Ministry of Works & Housing, mention them, are all not oblivious of this canker and will graciously accept to sit on Committees to investigate and make recommendations in events of disasters. As trained minds, they must bow down their heads in shame for they have failed society. My humble appeal to them is to be proactive and let their presence be felt and be impactful.
ACCRA NEW TOWN BUILDING COLLAPSE
Sunday, March 29th was the day. A three-storey uncompleted building on a school compound in the capital, Accra, just caved in, killing someone’s mother/wife/auntie/sibling/neighbour etc. In addition, two others perished with twenty others sustaining various and varied degrees of injuries.
Reports tickling in has it that the building, originally slated as a school facility had to be abandoned due to safety concerns but was “found fit for a makeshift church”.
Many questions lingers on the minds of right thinking members of the society. l have always said and insisted that most people are lay in mind and approach and will swallow anything hook, line and sinker.
For example, it is not the duty of a passenger to check the road worthiness of a vehicle she/he boards. Persons paid out of our taxes are charged to ensure and enforce compliance, thus there is a presumption that the vehicle has a “clean bill of health” stationed to ferry persons.
SOCIAL CONTRACT BREACHED
It is for this reason that the citizenry signed a social contract with the State to cure and provide for such situations. In the instant case, when the building was declared uninhabitable, what measures did those charged institution take to ensure that it was declared a no-go area? Be mindful it was situated on a school compound, school
children curious as they are.
Again, granting the Church had been warned severally to desist from accessing the facility, as we have been made to believe, what did those charged do in the light of provisions in the Local Governance Act, 2016, Act 936, a PNDC Law on same which has not been repealed among other enabling laws?
ENTER, HENRY QUARTEY
And Henry Quartey too, why and what did he go to the disaster scene to do considering his previous portfolios, both regionally and nationally – former Greater Accra Regional Minister, Deputy Interior Minister and Deputy Head of National Security, among others.
There is a Management theory – Absoluteness of Accountability. This theory imputes knowledge of the state of New Town “dilapidated” building, which collapsed on him. This is to say, flowing from the three portfolios he held mentioned above, he cannot be heard to be saying that he was oblivious thereof – anything short translates into he not being worth his salt – was he there to shed crocodile tears – l leave that to your good judgment.
l am tempted to believe the action of the masses in driving him away from the scene unscathed was to drum home a point – that he slept on the job whilst in charge. They “mistook” him for, as the Akans will say and term, “ogyam sereɛ kwa”.
Next time he should ‘assess’ himself carefully, ask himself pertinent questions before venturing to such charged scenes, no matter his good intentions. He must take a cue from the late Nana Akwasi Agyeman of Kumasi/Manhyia fame who was nearly lynched in a similar expedition.
NADMO
Things are happening in this “Country in which we all live in it” oooo. Why am l saying this? Who is in charge of NADMO at Ayawaso South Municipal Assembly or whatever and what is and/or are his/her professional qualifications in relation to disaster management, preservation of evidence and investigations, among others.
Granted his/her appointment was/is politically spiced, which certainly cannot be ruled out under our current political dispensation, was there no prior training and orientation on the basics of disaster management etc for him or her?
The debris thereof was cleared immediately after the rescue mission ended to pave way for school activities without doing any balancing act. This is to say, the very evidence needed to inform us of the cause(s), take remedial and long term measures to avert/prevent recurrence thereof and most importantly, to find perpetrators and those whose actions and inactions led to same and exact the appropriate sanctions and punishment was just wiped out like flowing water.
POTENTIAL DISASTERS
All that am saying and want to say and will say is, a lot of potential disasters are at our neighbourhood staring us right in our long faces and pointing at our short noses, but strangely we all stand aloof till the untoward occasion only to lament and whisper silently to ourselves that “l saw it coming”. My question is, …… AND WHAT DID YOU DO?
Ghanaians are too docile and a little awaking can avert a lot of these unfortunate and preventable happenings, which invariably shall inure to our collective interest.
Till then, l rest my Fractured Peace.
Written by Osei Kwabena Esq., Etia Street, Asante Edfiduase
