Automobile companies in South Industrial Area, Accra have posted an estimated loss of over GH�50 million due to the recent floods that hit Accra and other parts of the country.
The estimated amount is expected to go up after the total assessment of the impact of the torrential rains on the night of October 26, 2011, the Ghana Automobile Distributors Association (GADA) has revealed.
In all the 12 companies including PHC motors, Rana Motors, Toyota Ghana, Auto Parts, Japan Motors Trading Limited, CFAO, Silver Star, Mechanical Lloyd, Universal Autos and Honda Place recorded over 400 damaged cars.
Cars, including both new and old that had been brought to the various companies for servicing were submerged by the floods. Speaking to journalists in Accra, Paul Kwabena Peprah, president of the GADA, said some of the new vehicles would have to be discarded.
�This is the worst disaster so far,� he said, adding that some companies had to close sections of their operations. �We have experience floods before but not to this extent,� said president of GADA, who is also the Managing Director of PHC Motors
�Because it is the run up to Christmas most of us took stock of new vehicles. Manufactures have advised that some vehicles that were submerged for 30 minutes would have to be discarded.
Though they have insured their businesses, Mr Peprah stated that it would take over six months for the insurance companies to complete the processing of claim payments, adding, �Because the insurance would take months some of us have had to take emergency loans from our bankers.�
In the meantime, the automobile companies have attributed the disaster to ongoing construction work on the rapid road transit project on the Graphic Road which is close to the industrial area. Mr Peprah said part of drainage was blocked to facilitate the construction works but the river overflowed it banks.
�We are alarmed to see the contractor refilling the blocked part to continue with his work when the Meteorological Service Agency has predicted that more rains are expected.� The association intends to engage the services of an independent civil engineer to assess the actual cause of the floods.
�If no corrective measure is put in place, a repetition of this disaster will knock us out of business completely.� GABA has proposed the unblocking of the drains in the short term and dredging of the Odorwna Lagoon to address the problem.
Kassem Odaymat, Director of Rana Motors and Metal Works Engineering Company Limited said �we have to focus on what caused the floods to ensure that it does not happen again. If we fix our looses and another flood destroys our business again then it means some people are not doing their jobs well.�
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