19 August 2008
editorial
Somewhere in August last year, Ghana experienced its worst form of flooding in the three northern regions. Livestock and crop farms were destroyed during the disaster.
The local inhabitants were also compelled to flee their areas to safety, after being forced out of their homes by the floods, which also destroyed their properties.
It was later discovered that the disaster was caused by Burkina Faso, which opened its dam spillway without any prior notice to the government of Ghana. This nearly caused a diplomatic row between the two countries. Now, Burkina Faso appears to have learnt its lesson, and has this time round, given advance notice, to the government of Ghana, that it intended opening the dam once again to allow the excess water to spill away.
The Burkinabe dam will be opened on August 21, which is just two days away. The Ministry of Information and National Orientation has already issued a press statement, warning people living in the three northern regions, to be extra careful to avoid a repeat of last year's episode.
Whilst The Chronicle commends the Ministry for issuing the press statement, warning the people to be careful, we think that is not enough to prevent a recurrence of last year's disaster.
We think the press statement alone would not work, because majority of the people living in the affected areas do not have access to newspapers let alone read them. Not all of them also have access to the radio.
The Chronicle thinks the best way to enlighten the people is for the Information Services Department, which is under the Ministry of Information, to go round the areas and educate the people in their own dialect, on the impending dangers. It will be wrong for people to sit here in Accra, and presume that everybody listens to the radio and also reads newspapers, therefore if a press statement is issued, that should end it.
The new vehicles, which have been acquired for the Information Ministry, are not to be driven on asphalt roads in the urban centres. The government obviously acquired them to go to the hinterlands to educate the people, who do not read or listen to radio, often about government policies and programmes. We insist that it would be wrong for the Minister of Information to sit in the comfort of his air-conditioned office in Accra, and issue a press statement, thinking that that would be enough to educate the people about the impending dangers.
Already there are reports that as a result of the recent rainfall, parts of the Upper East Region are already experiencing flooding, as we carry on page six (6) of this edition. One can therefore imagine what would happen, if the people are not well-educated on the opening of the Burkinabe dam spillway, which is going to bring in more water to those areas. Last year's flooding affected the economy of Ghana, because we were caught unawares, so everything possible must be done this time round, to ensure that the country does not experience that trauma again.
Finally, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) must not also wait for the wrong things to happen, before they begin to think of ways to reach the people with help.
NADMO must be in position before any disasters occur.
A word to the wise is not in Accra, but where the trouble is likely to occur.
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