On Friday, June 3, 2016, Ghana marked the one-year commemoration of a very catastrophic incident, which claimed the lives of over One Hundred and Fifty Nine persons.
The June 3 disaster could have been avoided if the authorities in charge had taken the bull by the horns and carried out various preventive exercises across the capital. Due to the negligence on the part of some state institutions, families had to lose their breadwinners.
Two most important questions readily come to mind after a year of the disaster. Has the government supported both the survivors and families of those who perished and how far has the government put in place measures to prevent such occurrence from happening again?
Right after the disaster, we all remember how promises and directives were issued here and there. “I have ordered, I have directed, I have asked…” became the tune of the President and his appointees.
The Ministry of Finance was directed to make available money for the construction of drains which would prevent future disasters, but as we speak now nothing of that sort has been carried out.
Obviously, the government just wanted to ride on the back of the disaster to carry out propaganda, which is very unfortunate. The lives of each single Ghanaian matters and must not be toiled with since the progress of any nation depends mostly on its human resources.
What do we gain from just going to sympathise with the victims, make promises to them in the full glare of cameras and only come back and sleep?
There have been numerous complaints from victims of the disaster who say not a single promise made by the government has been honoured after a year of the disaster. Most of these victims who were breadwinners for their families but were debilitated because of the disaster are finding it difficult to make ends meet.
Emmanuel Owusu and Alex Mensah, both victims of the disaster, are yet to receive a pesewa by way of compensation from the government and have had to rely on the benevolence of friends and family relations to make ends meet. What happened to the GHC 4 million that was earmarked as support for victims and relations of the victims of the disaster? It is too early to assume that the government has diverted the money into something else, but are we going to be surprised if it turns out that way?
On Friday, during the commemoration service, more promises were made again. What is the essence in making further promises when initial ones are yet to be fulfilled?
The government should show some care and avoid playing propaganda with such a serious national issue. Enough of that: Simply compensate the victims and families of the dead. The New Statesman expresses our condolence to the survivors as well as relatives of the dead. Let’s say never again to such a national cataclysm.
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