Teach Your Kids How To Swim To Survive Floods – Allotey Jacobs

Former Central Regional Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is leading a national prayer session to avert more rainfall.

Mr Bernard Allotey Jacobs is certain more people will die, especially in Accra should there be heavy rainfall for two days.

As an immediate measure, the former NDC regional chairman advised parents to provide children with swimming lessons and to teach them survival techniques.

“Teach your children how to swim so that they can survive during floods. Lets pray against two days rain in this country, otherwise we are in trouble,” he advised.
 
Reacting to the sudden demise of about 12 people in just seven days, the NDC man warned of dire consequences if nothing is done about the situation.

The Meteorological Agency has predicted thunderstorms and heavy rains this rainy season – from March to November in the south of Ghana.

In Sunday’s downpour, a total of seven bodies, according to the National Disaster Management Organisation, were retrieved from flood waters at different parts of the capital following heavy rains.

The situation has triggered government to allocate GH¢197 million for the desilting of choked drains and other drainage works in the country.

But, Mr Jacobs on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem, Tuesday said the perennial flooding will not stop until there is attitudinal change.

He explained that, overcrowding, lack of proper drainage system and building on waterways mean many residents would be displaced after just about two hours of heavy rains.

“I know Accra very well and all lands allocated for storm drains have been sold and the residents there are now suffering,” he stated.

Mr Jacobs said though desilting choked drains is laudable, the lasting solution is to build more storm drains to avert flooding.