Some years ago, a tree fell at the Kintampo Water Falls.
Unfortunately, the fall coincided with the visit of some students from the University of Energy & Natural Resources among others to the facility. Scores suffered various degree of injuries and few lost their lives.
Investigations thereto revealed that the incident could have been averted or mitigated if the authorities had sat up. This is to say, if periodic audits were conducted on the trees in the catchment area by experts from the Parks & Gardens, Forestry etc. They, with their speciality and trained minds, could have advised on which tree was likely to fall and proactive measures taken to stem same.
Yah, officials therein failed to think outside the box and do the needful, thus the needless lost of innocent lives. l must add here that, not a single soul was held to account, after all, it’s God who gives and takes, aka, Fama Nyame.
PAST INCIDENTS
– A tree fell killing a reverend minister, his wife and kid at the Kanda enclave in Accra.
– Another tree fell on a couple of vehicles at University of Ghana campus. Thankfully, there was no causality.
– Last year a big “Oyina” tree fell unto the main entrance/exit stretch of the GIMPA campus. Here too, thankfully, there was no causality.
– Again, a tree fell within the Accra Airport catchment area, causing considerable damage to properties.
LATEST DEVELOPMENT
Last Sunday rains accompanied by strong winds hit the capital with its heart wrenching stories left, right and centre. In its wake, a giant Nim tree which has been standing on the Y intersection for years on the Achimota School/Hospital junction – Kissiman stretch in Accra was uprooted.
Again, thank God, no casualties were recorded save some bills on the junction and the impact of its fall on the road infrastructure.
Admittedly, l am not a staff of the Parks & Gardens, Foresty Commission nor possess any knowledge in a related discipline but at least, God gave me some common sense which l have added to discern real and apparent dangers.
The tree in question, located in the Forestry Commission enclave was danger personified even to the uninitiated minds. One could discern clearly that the top (numerous branches and leaves) outweighed the base, reminiscent of a well-built man with tiny legs, thus this incident was expected. As to why the danger posed by this tree was not caught on the wide and good lenses of personnel of the Forestry Commission who transverse the stretch daily to and from work remains a big mystery – note that in our part of the world, people are paid just for not executing their mandate.
Recall some years back, in the same enclave, l identified two dead trees standing right by the road side posing danger to all and sundry, but who cared?
Numerous promptings to the OkaiKoi North Municipal Assembly (ONMA) whose head office was less not 150 metres from the danger fell on deaf ears till one fell on its own. Thankfully no causality was recorded and it took months thereafter before the other was brought down by whosever.
As l write, a big cotton tree (Oyina) whose under soil has been scooped to pave way for the construction of a Court Complex at Akuapim Akropong in the Akuapim North Municipality “stands tall” at the lone entrance/exit of the Court Complex as if it’s no one’s business. I have taken the trouble to hint the Registrar therein with my okro mouth and penetrating eyes and await action thereon. Had l known should be the last vocabulary in this instance.
MY BELIEF
I am of the conviction that the dangers trees standing at highly populated areas especially by roadsides have not caught the attention and lenses of the populace, more especially of those salaried, tasked and charged statutorily to nose for such dangers and act thereon. Here, I am referring to National security, Parks & Gardens and Forestry Commission, among others.
None can discount the importance and relevance of trees in our daily life, however, this must situated properly in the context of public safety.
Again, it is my contention that we, as Ghanaians, have not learnt any lessons from past and recent falls of trees. This is to say, Nature has its own way of throwing in harbingers of impending and imminent dangers and the recent fall of trees earlier referred to, l believe, is one of such warnings.
MMDAs, WAKE UP
Taking a cue from the findings from the Kintampo Water Falls report, the Metropolitan, Municipal & District Assemblies (MMDAs) must be up and doing. Institute proactive measures by profiling and prioritizing the audit of all trees in their catchment areas, prune, trim etc as and where recommended and cut it down and, if necessary, to avert same falling on its own with real potency of wreaking havoc.
The Assemblies have had the benefit of recent falls and my prompting. They must act now to safeguard the citizenry who they claim are the heart of their heartbeats.
Again, l have unequivocally thrown the tomatoes into the skies and hope and pray it is caught appropriately.
I rest my Fractured Peace.
Wriiten by Osei Kwabena Esq., Etia Street, Asante Effiduase
Editor’s note: Views expressed in this article do not represent that of The Chronicle
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