Alexander Afenyo-Markin
The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has criticised the government’s response to the recent devastating floods, accusing President John Dramani Mahama of merely conducting aerial inspections of affected communities instead of visiting victims on the ground.
Contributing to a statement in Parliament on the recent floods, the Effutu Member of Parliament (MP) said the government must go beyond symbolic gestures and demonstrate practical support for thousands of people who have lost lives, homes and livelihoods.
“Since this flood, we have not seen the President visiting families. We saw him in the air. We saw him in the helicopter in the name of surveying and finding out. But the people who suffered are in their homes,” he said.
According to the Minority Leader, flood victims across the country, particularly those who lost relatives and properties, deserve direct engagement and reassurance from the nation’s leadership.
“Those who lost their lives, we have not seen any government official reaching out to their families. Those who lost properties, we have not seen any action from the government,” he stated.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin questioned the government’s decision to declare a National Day of Thanksgiving in the aftermath of the disaster, arguing that many affected families were still grieving and struggling to recover.
“People have died and they are suffering. They have lost their properties. The next day you are wearing white with white handkerchiefs for thanksgiving. What are you thanking God for? We don’t know what you know,” he remarked.
He stressed that while he was not opposed to the thanksgiving observance, the timing was inappropriate given the scale of devastation caused by the floods.
The Minority Leader urged the government to prioritise relief efforts and provide meaningful assistance to affected households rather than focusing on what he described as optics.
He also criticised the National Disaster Management Organisation’s (NADMO) initial relief distribution, claiming that some flood victims in communities such as Nima and Accra New Town received only baked beans and instant noodles despite suffering extensive losses.
“People have lost properties. They need rice, they need maize, they need cooking oil. They need government intervention to restore their businesses,” he said.
Drawing attention to conditions in his Effutu constituency, Mr. Afenyo-Markin said six communities had been severely affected, with roads cut off and residents unable to access their farms.
“I’ve spent days with my people. They are in pain. The roads have been cut off and they cannot go to their farms. That is the reality we are talking about,” he noted.
The Minority Leader further called on the government to outline a comprehensive sanitation and flood prevention policy, insisting that recurring floods could not continue to be blamed on previous administrations.
“There must be a clear sanitation policy. It is not enough to engage in blame games. They are in charge, they are responsible and they are in government,” he stated.
He argued that drainage systems had not been adequately maintained since the current administration assumed office, contributing to the flooding witnessed in several parts of the country.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin, however, endorsed Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin’s appeal for Members of Parliament to mobilise their constituents to participate in nationwide clean-up exercises, saying communities also have a role to play in keeping the environment clean.
He maintained, however, that the government must match such community efforts with decisive policies, timely relief interventions and sustained investment in flood mitigation to prevent future disasters.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House