Two dead naval officers washed ashore - Parliament grieves
The Accra floods kill six, 100 are homeless - Bartels
Accra (Greater Accra) 29 June 2001
The Majority on Thursday defeated the Minority with 82 votes to 71 on a motion that government should take steps to arrest the current escalating prices of food.
The Majority's amendment motion that: "Conscious of the strenuous efforts currently being made by government to improve the economy, urges government to remain steadfast in this pursuit in order to revamp the agricultural sector and stabilise food prices," thus carried the day.
When the Speaker, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey put the two motions to vote after three weeks of debate and the results were declared the Majority hilarious with their victory shouted "Asie ho! Positive change!"
The Speaker, who was earlier not satisfied with a voice vote called for a head count.
Mr John Akologu Tia, NDC-Talensi rose and quoted Standing Orders 113 (2) and called for a division, which means that every member on each side should write his or her name to determine the number of actual members in the chamber.
He said at the time the counting was going on there was a lot of movement on the Majority side, which might mean that not the actual figure was registered.
The Speaker ruled that the member could only call for a division if the voting relied on a voice vote and that he has no doubt about the integrity of his clerks, who counted the vote.
In a brief statement to the press Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the Minority Spokesman on Food and Agriculture, said although their motion was defeated it was significant that they drew the government's attention to the plight of hungry people of Ghana.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 29 June 2001
Members of Parliament on Thursday eulogised two naval officers, who got drowned in their bid to halt smugglers near New Town in the Western Region.
The Leadership of the House is yet to decide on the most appropriate action to be taken by the entire House on the situation already described by members as "pathetic and involving men, who are dedicated to their work".
Mr Joseph Ackah, NDC-Jomoro, in a statement, said the two naval officers intercepted smugglers on Sunday June 17.
He said the two officers left their boat and joined the captured boat, which was being used for the smuggling.
"On the way to the shore, the smugglers' boat capsized and the two naval officers and a smuggler got drowned."
Mr Ackah said the body of a naval officer was washed ashore on Tuesday, June 19, while the bodies of the second officer and the smuggler were recovered on Wednesday June 20.
He said the accident has exposed the difficulties that those patrolling the country's borders face.
"The border post at New Town has no vehicle. It has one boat with a 40 horsepower outboard motor as against 50/60 horsepower motors used by smugglers."
Mr Ackah said hitherto, smugglers had escaped either because of lack of effective communication facilities or the non-availability of it.
"Before the incident, the New Town post had no radio communication gadget. After the incident, two radio sets were dispatched to New Town and Jaway Wharf. Now officers and men at the post can make contacts with Sekondi and Jaway Wharf but at sea, one in distress cannot communicate for assistance from the shore."
Mr Ackah said the officers lacked proper accommodation, electricity, water and toilet facilities.
He called for co-operation between all border officials in the area for normal work to go on.
Captain Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey, NPP-Berekum, called for a probe into the accident "because it is not normal for trained naval officers to get drowned in such circumstances".
Mr D. Y. Mensah, NDC-Atebubu North, said the dead naval officers displayed a high sense of dedication in the midst of risk.
"Even in the face of danger, they were prepared to go after the nation wreckers (smugglers)".
He asked that all security personnel to be insured so that when they die in line of duty, their dependants would not suffer.
Mr Adusei Sarkodie, NPP-Atwima Nwabiagya, said, "such people should be remembered for their dedication. Streets should be named after such gallant men and if possible monuments should be built in their honour".
Alhaji Malik Al-hassan Yakubu, Minister of the Interior, said government was determined to equip and restore the confidence in personnel of the security agencies.
He commended Mr Ackah for raising the issue but said the poor shape in which the security system finds itself was a legacy of the former National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.
"I am now happy that this government can count on the support of all members, especially their patience and understanding to solve this problem."
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Accra (Greater Accra) 29 June 2001
Six people died, 100 were displaced and an inestimable property were destroyed in Wednesday' floods which hit the Accra Metropolis following a down pour, Mr Kwamena Bartels, Minister of Works and Housing told Parliament on Thursday.
The identity of the deceased were not immediately known but the Minister said one of them got drown in an attempt to retrieve a floating goat while one also died in his attempt to prevent his kiosk being swept away by the floods.
The other four got drown when they missed their ways and fell into flooded gutters.
He said the floods came as a result of torrential rains and the poor drainage system in the Metropolis occasioned by people putting up structures in waterways.
Another factor was that sandbags piled up for the Korle Lagoon Ecological Restoration Project prevented free flow of water into the lagoon.
He said the contractor has been ordered to immediately remove the sand bags.
Mr Bartels said during an aerial survey he detected that building of houses in waterways and dumping of refuse in drains were serious human factors that led to the floods.
He said there was too much of indiscipline in the building industry, where people built on every available space without regard to building regulations and appealed to the House to join him in a demolition exercise, which the previous government had began.
"Until we put our foot down and enforce building regulations we will continue to face this kind of disasters".
He said about 60 per cent of buildings in Accra are not covered with building permits because of corruption in the system.
Mr Bartels commended the security agencies, especially the Army, Police and National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) for promptly responding to the emergency situation to save life and property.
He expressed regret that traffic jam hampered the free movement of the rescue team to reach scenes of distress to act with precision.
The Army Command also lacked communications gadgets like "walkie-talkies".
He said so far the Electricity Company of Ghana and Ministry of Energy have drained the water at the Achimota Sub-station and restored power and traffic lights are now functioning while broken pipes have been mended.
All Policemen on leave and off-duty have been recalled to increase surveillance at traffic lights and intensify patrols to ensure no thief exploited the situation. The military is also on the alert.
The bridge at Kasoa, which has collapsed cutting off Central and Western regions from Accra would be temporarily replaced with a bailey bridge while attempts were being made to rebuild the broken bridges on the Spintex and the one on the Tetteh Quarshie-Legon roads.
Mr Bartels said no train would be allowed to move on the Accra-Nsawam rail-line because the rain has caused havoc to the lines.
Mrs Angelina Baiden-Amissah, NPP-Shama expressed regret that the city should face such a situation and said it was also disheartening that those in the rural areas do not receive equal attention as those in Accra when disaster strikes at them.
She said a few days ago rainstorm and floods hit Shama in which school buildings collapsed and coconut oil processing factory on which the people depend for their livelihood was destroyed and appealed for help for the victims.
Mrs Hanna Tetteh Kpodar, NDC-Awutu-Senya, said Kasoa, which is in her constituency and is the last town from the Central Region when entering Accra is sheltering the spill-over population of the city.
She said Kasoa with an infrastructure for 5,000 people now has a population of about 45,000 housed in structures haphazardly built with disregard to layouts.
Mr Kofi Attor, NDC-Ho Central, called for support for the Ministry of Works and Housing to demolish buildings or structures put up in waterways in the city.
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