The whole nation has been saddened by the tragic event at the Kintampo Waterfall in the Brong Ahafo Region involving the loss of nearly 20 precious lives, with 22 others sustaining serious degrees of injuries.
The sad event follows the falling of a tree on a group of students from Wenchi Senior High School, Wenchi, and University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, who had gone on separate visits to the area.
The Vice President of the Republic, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, has on behalf of the government gone to the disaster area and visited the surviving victims, offering them undisclosed sums of money to help defray their hospital bills, promising government assistance in helping to bury the dead and also giving support to those whose relatives are on admission.
On his part, President Akufo-Addo has sent in a message expressing his condolence to the victims and the bereaved families.
Again, the First Lady, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, and former President John Mahama have all expressed their condolences to the bereaved families.
During his visit, the Vice President was accompanied by officials such as the Minister for Interior, Minister for National Security and also the Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture. Some NADMO officials have also visited the area.
All these go to show the readiness of the government and the people of Ghana to sympathise with all affected families and to share in their sorrows.
Whenever disasters of this kind occur it becomes the responsibility of the nation, devoid of politics, to do all it can to wipe off the tears of the immediate families directly affected by the incident as well as all other Ghanaians.
Irrespective of where any person in the country comes from, we are all Ghanaians and, when struck by unfortunate disasters, ought to be given well-deserved consolation as required, but not to play needless politics with such issues for cheap political points, since what has happened is a serious matter that cannot be joked with.
That is why what has happened at the Kintampo Waterfall cannot be limited to only the direct families of the affected victims but to everyone in the country.
Let us depoliticise the tragic event, contrary to the statements and pronouncements of certain people who see it as an opportunity to cash in and harvest political scores, but rather think about how seriously and genuinely such disasters can be prevented in various forms or dimensions in any part of the country in future.
It is in the light of this that the announcement by the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture that the government is to undertake safety audits in all tourist sites is most welcome.
Such audits should not be carried out only after post-disaster events or occurrences such as the Kintampo incident, but be manifestly seen to be consistently and continuously carried through for the non-negotiable purpose and good reason to preserve the safety of the lives of all existing and potential tourists, whether domestic or foreign.
Furthermore, what has happened, though very sad and unforgettable, should urge us on and also encourage or help us to carve out the right path of safety progress in addition to also defining the appropriate steps needed to prevent any future recurrence. KINTAMPO WATERFALL DISASTER, NEVER AGAIN! The whole nation has been saddened by the tragic event at the Kintampo Waterfall in the Brong Ahafo Region involving the loss of nearly 20 precious lives, with 22 others sustaining serious degrees of injuries.
The sad event follows the falling of a tree on a group of students from Wenchi Senior High School, Wenchi, and University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, who had gone on separate visits to the area.
The Vice President of the Republic, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, has on behalf of the government gone to the disaster area and visited the surviving victims, offering them undisclosed sums of money to help defray their hospital bills, promising government assistance in helping to bury the dead and also giving support to those whose relatives are on admission.
On his part, President Akufo-Addo has sent in a message expressing his condolence to the victims and the bereaved families.
Again, the First Lady, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, and former President John Mahama have all expressed their condolences to the bereaved families.
During his visit, the Vice President was accompanied by officials such as the Minister for Interior, Minister for National Security and also the Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture. Some NADMO officials have also visited the area.
All these go to show the readiness of the government and the people of Ghana to sympathise with all affected families and to share in their sorrows.
Whenever disasters of this kind occur it becomes the responsibility of the nation, devoid of politics, to do all it can to wipe off the tears of the immediate families directly affected by the incident as well as all other Ghanaians.
Irrespective of where any person in the country comes from, we are all Ghanaians and, when struck by unfortunate disasters, ought to be given well-deserved consolation as required, but not to play needless politics with such issues for cheap political points, since what has happened is a serious matter that cannot be joked with.
That is why what has happened at the Kintampo Waterfall cannot be limited to only the direct families of the affected victims but to everyone in the country.
Let us depoliticise the tragic event, contrary to the statements and pronouncements of certain people who see it as an opportunity to cash in and harvest political scores, but rather think about how seriously and genuinely such disasters can be prevented in various forms or dimensions in any part of the country in future.
It is in the light of this that the announcement by the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture that the government is to undertake safety audits in all tourist sites is most welcome.
Such audits should not be carried out only after post-disaster events or occurrences such as the Kintampo incident, but be manifestly seen to be consistently and continuously carried through for the non-negotiable purpose and good reason to preserve the safety of the lives of all existing and potential tourists, whether domestic or foreign.
Furthermore, what has happened, though very sad and unforgettable, should urge us on and also encourage or help us to carve out the right path of safety progress in addition to also defining the appropriate steps needed to prevent any future recurrence.
<<Print>>