News
The rains are here again! Let’s all put our hands on deck
The rains are here again with its attendant problems of floods resulting in loss of lives, destruction of properties and heavy traffic due to the bad nature of our roads,
A typical example is the June 3, 2015 flooding and fire disaster in Accra which claimed hundreds of lives and injured many, most of whom were taking shelter at a petrol filling station.
It has now become an annual phenomenon that in the rainy season the least incessant downpour results in flooding in most parts of Accra leading to loss of lives and the destruction of properties worth millions of cedis.
Last Tuesday’s downpour at dawn, which lasted for about four hours resulted in flooding in some parts of Accra with about six deaths and loss of properties. This was followed by another downpour on Wednesday evening which caused flooding and created heavy traffic jam on some major roads in Accra, especially the North Kaneshie Industrial Area route to the Kwame Nkrumah Circle.
The causes of these floods are evident. Despite the havoc of floods, people are oblivious and continue to litter the environment dumping refuse into drains. This has led to choked gutters.
Coupled with that, the least downpour exposes the bad nature of our roads and in such instances a journey of about 30 minutes could take several hours as drivers try to swerve the potholes to avoid damaging their vehicles. In some cases the potholes are so deep that the road becomes unmotorable.
There is the need to take action to avert any disaster. On June 6, as part of measures to educate the public to prevent flooding, the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, with support from Zoomlion Ghana Limited embarked on a sensitisation campaign to clear the drains in some parts of the Eastern, Greater Accra and the Ashanti regions. The initiative is commendable and this must be extended to other areas to sensitise more people as some are recalcitrant and litter indiscriminately thus posing danger to other residents.
The assemblies must be proactive to enforce bye-laws in order to punish those who are recalcitrant and dump refuse in open drains. This would deter others from treading that same path.
The Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) must get involved in the fight and constantly organise public education on the need for people to keep their environment clean to promote healthy living.
Barely a week ago on Friday, June 5, World Environment Day was observed and one of its objectives was “to encourage people to make their nearby surroundings safe, and clean to enjoy safer, cleaner and more prosperous future.”
The Spectator is, therefore, of the view that individuals must also be responsible enough to volunteer to clear the drains in their neighbourhood to control the annual flooding during the rainy season which claims lives and destroys property. The average citizenry, especially market women must be educated on sanitation practices and also sensitised to constantly practise good personal hygiene.
One disturbing issue is that people keep building on waterways but this must stop. The authorities should not allow such things to happen. Those who buy plots of land should be vigilant and make the necessary checks with the appropriate authorities before they commit themselves.
Those in low lying areas and water ways should take the necessary precautions and relocate to safety in times of a downpour.
As the Meteorological Department had announced that this year, the rains would be heavy and The Spectator hopes that authorities would continue with the dredging of storm drains and desilting of gutters to avert any disaster.
Since some people continue to litter, we suggest that refuse containers must be placed at vantage points in the cities and emptied regularly. Poor sanitation has resulted in most of these perennial floods and its attendant problems.
Remember, the rains are here again! Let’s all put our hands on deck to save lives.
A woman who is accused of bolting with ‘susu’ money totaling GH₵156,445 has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.
Martha Nana Esi Afful was alleged to have collected the money from 35 complainants.
Charged with 35 counts of fraudulent breach of trust, Martha, who was earlier remanded, pleaded not guilty.
The court, presided over by Mr Joseph Y. Kuunsong on Wednesday, admitted the accused person to a GH₵200,000 bail with two sureties.
One of the sureties, the court said, must be a public servant earning not less than GH₵5,000.
She is expected to reappear on August 12, 2026.
The Prosecution’s case before the court is that the complainants are traders and residents at La in Accra.
Prosecution described Martha as a ‘Susu’ collector, who resided at Burma Camp.
The court heard that the accused person run a business with the name ‘ZOE’ and she deceived the 35 complainants into believing that she collected ‘Susu’ daily, which was kept for a period of one-three years, and paid interest on the money invested.
The complainants contributed in 2023 for a three-year period, prosecution said.
In December 2025, when the complainants went to take their money with interest, Martha went into hiding and only took phone calls from a few complainants.
Prosecution said the accused provided a MTN Momo number through which a few of the complainants still paid monies.
It said all efforts made to collect the money, totaling GH₵156,445 from her, proved futile.
On June 14, 2026, a report was made to the police and Martha was picked up at a washing bay at Tse Addo.
During interrogation, she admitted the offence in her caution statement, saying she lost her husband and relocated to Swedru in the Central Region, hence the complainants were unable to reach her from December 2025 till date.
Prosecution said Martha further stated that she had invested the monies into refuse collection business and she needed time to pay the amount.
Police are investigating the claims. –GNA
A Public Health Nurse at the Roman Ridge Sub-Municipal of the Ayawaso West Health Directorate, Ms Patience Adoli Kporxah, has cautioned the public against coming into contact with floodwaters, warning that exposure can lead to serious diseases, infections and injuries.
Floodwater, she said, should always be treated as contaminated, regardless of how clean it appears, because it may contain sewage, human and animal waste, chemicals, fuel, sharp objects and disease-causing micro-organisms.
In an interview with The Spectator in Accra on Thursday, Ms Kporxah explained that contact with contaminated floodwater exposes people to bacteria, viruses, parasites, hazardous chemicals and other physical hazards that can result in illness or injury.
Her advice came in the wake of recent exposure to floodwater following Monday’s torrential rains that left vast areas of the capital flooded.
As a result, a lot of people were seen either ‘swimming’ in the floodwater to rescue people or retrieving items being washed away.
According to her, exposure to floodwater could cause skin infections, particularly where there are cuts or open wounds, as well as diarrhoea diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery and other forms of gastroenteritis if contaminated water was swallowed.
Other health risks, she said include hepatitis A, eye and ear infections, tetanus in people with untreated wounds or incomplete vaccination, and injuries from submerged sharp objects, debris or electrical hazards.
Ms Kporxah advised anyone who had contact with floodwater to monitor their health closely and seek immediate medical attention if they develop symptoms such as fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, severe headache, muscle aches, skin rash, difficulty breathing, or yellowing of the eyes or skin.
She also urged people whose wounds became red, swollen, painful or begin to discharge pus, as well as those who accidentally swallow floodwater, to report to the nearest health facility without delay.
Although not everyone exposed to floodwater requires immediate treatment, she stressed that pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems, individuals living with chronic illnesses and those with significant wounds should seek prompt medical evaluation.
On water safety, Ms Kporxah cautioned that rainwater was not automatically safe for drinking or cooking, especially during or after flooding. She explained that rainwater collected from roofs, gutters or open containers could be contaminated by bird and animal droppings, dust, leaves, bacteria, viruses, parasites and chemical pollutants.
She advised that rainwater intended for drinking should first be treated by boiling, chlorination or another approved water purification method before use.
Touching on food safety, Ms Kporxah said factory-sealed bottled drinks and canned foods with intact packaging might still be safe after flooding.
However, she stressed that any containers submerged in floodwater should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before handling. Foods in paper packaging, damaged containers or products with broken seals should be discarded because contaminated water may have seeped into them.
She further warned that flooding increases the risk of outbreaks of cholera, typhoid fever and other waterborne diseases through contaminated water sources.
In addition, she said flooding could contribute to respiratory illnesses in overcrowded shelters and mould-infested buildings, foodborne illnesses from spoiled or contaminated food, and mental health conditions such as anxiety, stress, depression and trauma.
It could also disrupt access to medicines and healthcare for people living with chronic conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, asthma and kidney disease.
Ms Kporxah therefore urged the public to practice good hygiene, avoid unnecessary contact with floodwater, consume only safe food and drinking water, and seek medical attention promptly whenever symptoms develop.
She said observing these preventive measures would help minimise the risk of disease outbreaks and protect lives as the country continues to experience heavy rains and flooding in some communities.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
