Mr. Kinna made this known when he was queried by Eyewitness News Host, Umaru Sanda Amadu on measures government had taken to avert a similar disaster from recurring.

[contextly_sidebar id=”QR3JcDtXpuZjJ1SabyAXPaLmPGyxPmEa”]It’s been three years since the flooding and fire disaster which claimed about 150 lives occurred.

Following the incident, the then Metropolitan Chief Executive of Accra, Alfred Okoe Vanderpuijie, had assured residents that such a disaster will never occur again as the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) will complete the desilting of the Korle lagoon and create more drainage systems within Accra.

However, almost three years down the line, Mr. Kinna said most of these promises had not been realized, adding that enough was not done to forestall similar incidents in the future.

Residents’ safety not guaranteed

Mr. Kinna further pointed out that, the safety of residents cannot be guaranteed during the rainy season, despite previous assurances from the government at the time, saying “I cannot tell whether they will be safe because we do not know the amount of rain that will come in.”

He indicated that, although a subsidiary of Jospong Group , Dredge Masters was subsequently contracted to desilt the Odaw River , it failed to complete its work, thus leaving most of the drainage systems around the Odawna area still choked.

He therefore called for the swift intervention of Local government authorities, saying “We are still waiting for the Local government to get Dredge Masters to desilt the filth in the Odaw- the Dredge masters were doing this so they have to continue their work.”

A GOIL fuel station near the GCB Bank towers at Circle in Accra was gutted by fire when a fuel tanker exploded amidst severe floods.

Over 150 bodies of persons who were seeking shelter at the fuel station and others stuck in vehicles due to the heavy rain and flooding, were burnt to death.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

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It said in a statement that “State institutions responsible for instituting corrective actions (by implementing recommendations) have either failed to discharge themselves fully or have simply gone to sleep after the caskets were closed and the flags flying half masts were lifted.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”TnAPdRiqJNTGc7eINLW2UBBvOKyvBtdG”]It thus urged the government to revisit all accident investigation reports since 2012 “to review and evaluate recommendations submitted.”

The group added that, this will ensure the implementation “of corrective measures proposed by the various investigation teams.”

154 lives were lost as a result of the June 3 fire and flood disaster, with over 150 persons also injured in the incident.

But it took over two years for the government to put its foot down on a matter such as the risky siting of fuel filling stations.

In October 2017, the government announced some key interventions, among which fuel stations deemed high-risk across the country were to be shut-down and the construction of petrol/diesel and LPG filling points halted.

This came after the massive explosion at an LPG filling station at Atomic Junction, where seven lives were lost.

Leaked report in public interest

On the leaking of the report, the Bureau said it was done in the interest of the public.

“…the BPS having intercepted an authentic, credible and a bonafide copy of the full report of June 3rd 2015 ‘Fire Flood’ accident ( popularly referred to as June 3rd disaster) investigations, have decided to publish same in the interest of the general public to enable citizens appreciate the full impact of their acts of commissions or omissions, and also hold duty bearers accountable.”

“This campaign by the BPS will rage on for as long as the State holds on to these reports. The Bureau of Public Safety will continue to use all legally justifiable means to obtain or secure credibly bonafide copies of such reports and shall make same public upon satisfying ourselves that they are indeed genuine,” the statement concluded.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Just before the breaking of the fast at the Baaba Attah Mosque, Mr. Mensah presented beverages, Ever Pure water, and other food items including Gino tomato and noodle products to several people.

Speaking before the breaking of bread with the families, the philanthropist, who also started the initiative ‘May 9 Stadium Disaster Remembered’ for sixteen (16) years, said: “I am humbled by the opportunity to sit here and to break bread with you. I like to show something that says the ordinary people are the important people. I don’t believe in ‘Big Man Big Man’ because a Big Man cannot be a Big Man without brothers and sisters.’’

“And if I come here,  it is to show you that I respect you. When I do these things it is for respect and concern. I am a Christian, an Anglican and I am here with you because we are all one, there is only one Allah. if you are good he knows it. If you are bad, he knows it.’’

He added that, “I did not lose anybody on June 3. I did not lose anybody on May 9. So if I am sitting here to break bread with you, I do it with humility.’’

Receiving the items on behalf of the beneficiaries,  Imam Shaibu Yahaya of the Baaba Attah Mosque, thanked Mr. Herbert Mensah for his empathy and continuous support for the families of disaster victims and other poor people. He prayed for Allah’s blessing for him and all those who support the poor in the country.

“It shows he cares for people who are suffering. It is a good gesture to come and break the fast with us. It is a great blessing for him to do that,” one beneficiary happily remarked.

Another beneficiary said “We were not expecting this. It came as a surprise to us to get all these items to break our fast.’’

The June 3 flood and fire disaster in Accra claimed over 150 lives occurred in 2015.

Many families within the flood prone zones in Accra did not only lose loved ones, they also lost livelihoods through the destruction of their small businesses, and it is still  unclear two years on, if the authorities have indeed done anything new in terms of law enforcement or structural changes to avert the recurrence of such disaster in the near future.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

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This was made known by the Minister for Works and Housing, Atta Akyea at the commemoration of June 3 disaster and the National Sanitation Day celebration over the weekend.

According to him, Zoomlion and its subsidiary, Dredge Masters have kept faith in their business with the people of Ghana even though government is owing them huge sums of money in arrears.

He said, government will do all things possible to clear all outstanding debt to the two companies.

“Companies are very commercial in character and without money, we don’t expect them to deliver. But zoomlion and its subsidiary, dredging masters continue to work in the face of all these. So if there is any commendation, dredging masters and zoomlion must be acknowledged for their services.”

“…The dredging of the Odaw river is capital intensive but even though these companies are owed huge sums, they still continue to work because of the human dimension they have attached to their work. It is in the light of this that, they must be supported to continue giving us the services we need,” he said.

The minister also indicated that, without Zoomlion and Dredge Masters, the June 3, disaster would have been worse.

On his part, the Mayor of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Mohammed Nii Adjei Sowah said it was unfortunate that some survivors of the June 3 flood disaster are still not attended to and that his outfit is working closely with the ministries to ensure that by next year, none of the survivors will be complaining.

He however expressed his, and government’s condolences to the families of the departed and shared in the frustration of the survivors.

According to the AMA Chief Executive, “The Assembly’s position is that, we are going to use that platform to enforce our bylaws,” to ensure that flood disasters are no more part of the history of the country.

Mr. Adjei Sowah said various Assembly personnel are deployed to ensure that residents comply with sanitation bylaws.

“We have mobilised all our district and environmental health officials. There are about 160 of them and we will zoom into the Ablekuma Central area and they are going to people’s houses to check whether they have really evacuated all their refuse from the places and disposed them.”

The name “Sanitation Day” will even be a thing of the past in the Accra Metropolis, according to Mr. Adjei Sowah, who added that “we are going to enforce the sanitation bylaws on that day. So I am changing it in my district to Sanitation Enforcement Day.

Mr. Sowah urged people to always endeavour to clean their communities.
He said, “Let us promote sanitation consciousness to reduce the mountains of filth in our towns and cities across the country.”

He also urged the Environmental Sanitation Service Providers to come up with innovative measures that will inculcate in Ghanaians the culture of waste segregation, Proper Waste segregation and management to generate revenue.

Since November 1, 2014, the first Saturday of every month was earmarked as National Sanitation Day across Ghana.

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development initiative was declared in response to a major cholera outbreak that year.

On the day, Ghanaians engage in a voluntary clean-up exercise in an effort to reduce unsanitary conditions that breed diseases and causes flooding.

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Source: The New Crusading Guide

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Over  150 lives were lost on June 3, 2015, at the fuel station amidst a heavy rain and a subsequent explosion.

A lot more others also sustained various degrees of injury.

Speaking at the second anniversary of the June 3 disaster, officiated by Rev. Ernest Bruce of the Methodist Church at Adabraka, the Minister for Works and Housing, Samuel Atta Akyea, said government is committed to solving the major sewage challenges in the country.

According to him, government will partner some investors to improve infrastructure in the capital.

Wreaths were laid at the venue of the accident in memory of the departed souls.

Some of the survivors of the disaster are yet to fully return to normalcy as they are nursing their wounds, and also struggle to earn a living.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

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In her address themed, “We are Responsible” at the launch of the OneGhana movement on Friday, she noted that the June 3 fire and flood disaster was indicative of the need for a paradigm shift among Ghanaians.

The disaster saw the death of over 150 persons and left many injured, after an explosion at a GOIL fuel station at the  Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra.

“While many would only want to focus on the disaster as the mere outcome of natural happenings, I will remind us all that the flooding did not just happen because it rained. It happened because the drains were choked with the citizen’s garbage, blocked or never existed at all due to the fact that we have built in their paths.”

“The accident was caused by regulatory inspectors being lax to ensure that all safety measures needed to operate a facility like that were in place and that no such accident would occur in case it rained. A combination of policy failures and bad social habits, therefore, led to the death of over 150 Ghanaian lives.”

She lamented that the June 3 disaster, could have been prevented if systems and institutions worked.

“Yet they have not and we all continue to look on as our city decays. Our capital has over the years been associated with filth, congestion, poor planning and pollution. The great cities of the world, and yes, in Africa too, were built on the back of planning and citizen responsibility.”

J4J3-Campaign

Speaking in the presence of some of the victims of the disaster, Madam Aryee noted that, the mission of OneGhana is to promote citizen and policy accountability and the “prioritization of the national interest over partisan politics.”

She added that this will be done by “employing policy analysis, advocacy, legal and financial interventions to ensure the drive for social and political change in Ghana is clear.”

To realise this vision, Ghanaians require a paradigm shift “as a matter of practical urgency,” Madam Aryee asserted.

The OneGhana movement’s first project will be the “J4J3-Campaign”, which is aimed at the pursuit of justice for victims of the 2015 June 3 flood and fire disaster.

The campaign will include legal aid for victims and public advocacy on corporate and regulatory accountability.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Joyce Aryee charges Ghanaians to learn from June 3 disaster appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Two years ago, on June 3, 2015, there was a torrential rain, which caused flooding and a fuel station explosion at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, leading to the loss of lives and plunging the city of Accra into an inconsolable grief.

A statement signed by Numo Blafo III, the Head of the Public Affairs of the AMA said on Friday, June 2, there would be a clean-up exercise at 07:00 hours at Odornaa.

The AMA would hold a remembrance service and candlelight procession from the Ernest Bruce Memorial Church to the disaster site on the same day at 17:00 hours.

On Saturday, June 3, at 09:00 hours a remembrance church service would be held at the Calvary Baptist Church, Adabraka and it would be followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the disaster site.

The statement said they have invited the public, surviving victims and families of all those who lost their lives in the flood and fire tragedy to join in remembering the fallen Ghanaians.

The  statement said: “AMA wishes to bring to the attention of the general public, activities earmarked for that day, to remind us of a commitment it made that ‘never again’ will it allow such an incident to reoccur.”

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Source: GNA

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The keynote address at the launch will be delivered by Rev. Dr. Joyce Aryee, a former C.E.O of the Ghana Chamber of Mines.  The launch is expected to be aired live on radio from 4:00 to 5:20 pm.

The organisation’s first project will be the “J4J3-Campaign”, which is geared towards driving citizen responsibility and policy accountability through the pursuit of justice for victims of the 2015 June 3 flood and fire disaster.

The disaster saw the death of over 150 persons after an explosion at a Goil fuel station at Kwame Nkrumah Circle area.

The campaign will include legal aid for victims and public advocacy on corporate and regulatory accountability.

The OneGhana movement has been described as a thought leadership and social action Not-for-Profit organisation that seeks to promote citizen responsibility, promote the prioritisation of the national interest over partisan politics and promote public policy accountability.

“We believe that a strong and active civil society is essential to address the root causes of today’s most pressing societal, economic, and political challenges. We believe that an informed and responsible citizenry is key to exacting governance accountability and progressive policy making which are critical for the socio-economic development of Ghana,” a statement from the movement noted.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Justice Dotse, Joyce Aryee to speak at OneGhana Movement launch appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Mr. Hosi attributed these failings to components of the governance structure ranging from the assembly level, Police Service, Fire Service, National Petroleum Authority and the Attorney General’s office.

[contextly_sidebar id=”Pi7xABm08p2ziZkhc5uqRfWXUUbmGJLV”]He was speaking to GhanaWeb during a donation to some of the victims of the Labadi gas explosion at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra on Monday where he described the latest gas related accident to claim lives as resulting from the country’s laissez-faire attitude to safety and accountability.

The death toll from the Labadi gas explosion currently stands at 10 with over 40 victims from the explosion still receiving treatment at the 37 Military Hospital and the Korle Bu teaching hospital after sustaining various degrees of injuries.

“It is embarrassing. I think it is a major blot on the industry and also on government itself and I think we are here for only one reason. We never hold people accountable for lapses in safety,” Mr. Hosi said as he reminded that the June 3 fire and flood disaster has yet to see someone held accountable for the over 150 lives lost at the Goil fuel station at the Nkrumah Circle in Accra.

“There is no way we can absolve a company like Goil but we let them go. We refer to some cigarette and we talk about it but the report is never out. We hear of it in bits and pieces. How can people’s lives be lost and you will be walking free and you would continue your business as normal. Who has compensated those who died last year?”

“We have to look at the lapses. Where there lapses in monitoring? If there lapses in monitoring, who is being held accountable? If it is the owners are we going to sue them or really hold them accountable legally?” Mr. Hosi questioned.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Ghana National Fire Service have since shut down the Louis gas station at Labadi which was the scene of a gas explosion last Thursday.

Preliminary investigations have pointed to a gas leakage at the station which led to the explosion according to the Ghana National Fire Service.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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