Flood: 'Press Conferences Won't Desilt Our Gutters' – Sammy Awuku Demands Action (AUDIO)
Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, Hon. Sammy Awuku, has criticised the government's handling of Ghana's recurring flood crisis, insisting that "press conferences won't desilt our gutters" and urging President John Dramani Mahama's administration to prioritise practical action over public relations.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament during deliberations on the devastating floods that recently swept through parts of Greater Accra, Hon. Sammy Awuku said Ghanaians expect decisive leadership and tangible interventions rather than media briefings and political rhetoric.
"Press conferences won't desilt our gutters. Press conferences won't solve the problems of our flood-prone system," he declared, arguing that the government's response has been dominated by committees and public announcements instead of practical flood mitigation measures.
The Akuapem North MP recalled the June 2015 disaster, noting that more than 150 people lost their lives in a single night under the previous Mahama administration, adding that Ghanaians subsequently voted the National Democratic Congress (NDC) out of office in the 2016 general election.
He argued that the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration inherited the flood challenge but developed a comprehensive roadmap to address it through drainage expansion and flood-control infrastructure.
According to him, several major projects highlighted earlier by former Roads and Highways Minister Francis Asenso-Boakye—including drainage works along the N1 Highway, South Kaneshie and the Nima-Paloma-Odaw drain—were initiated under the previous government.
Mr Awuku maintained that funding had also been secured under the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project before the current administration assumed office.
He accused the government of politicising the flood disaster while failing to continue ongoing interventions.
"From January 2025 up to today, all we've been hearing are press conferences and committees," he stated.
The lawmaker also questioned the structure of the government's anti-flood task force, expressing surprise that the minister for the interior was presenting updates to Parliament despite, according to him, not being part of the committee established to coordinate flood management.
He criticised the decision to place coordination responsibilities under a deputy chief of staff instead of ministers directly responsible for local government and works and housing, arguing that effective leadership was lacking.
"This is the time we need leadership. Leadership is not a team sport. When you are elected to lead, you lead," he stressed.
Mr Awuku further argued that the current crisis should not become an opportunity for political point-scoring.
"This is not the time for spin, PR or bloggers moving left, right and centre because the government wants to score political points. We need answers," he said.
He expressed concern over the devastating impact of the floods on ordinary citizens, noting that beyond statistics, many families had lost loved ones, homes, businesses and livelihoods.
"People have lost their livelihoods. Somebody might have taken a GH¢2,000 loan, and today that money is gone," he said.
Concluding his remarks, the MP said Ghanaians elect leaders to solve problems rather than explain them, urging the government to focus on delivering lasting solutions to Accra's perennial flooding.
"We don't elect leaders to tell us our problems. We elect leaders to fix our problems," he said.
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