The floods and accountability

One again, it is June, the floods has come, and we have been caught unprepared.

To be fair, floods do occur all over the world and sometimes, regardless of preparation, they take lives and cause damage.

In the last few weeks, there have been floods in United States and France, with a lot of suffering and some deaths.

Also, in our history, floods have occurred, virtually under every government.

This time, as we have done for all the past floods, we are ready to move on to sensational topics like: what model of motor bike the President was riding? who got caught at which airport? who is sleeping with who? Sully Muntari apology, the NDC anniversary, the EC and the problems in the NPP, to mention a few.

We are a nation with serious attention deficit disorder-to borrow a medical term.

For now, we are where we are, and we must have the patience to ask the government some hard questions.

I have just watched President Mahama's address after the 2015 flood and other subsequent comments by him: He pledged his government to improving drainage. He pledged action on illegal structures. He publicly directed his Minister of Finance to release funding for certain activities. Indeed, some months ago, the Mayor of Accra reported that about 45% of the desilting had been completed.

While we must trust our public officials, we must verify that they do what they pledge to do.

Did the Finance Minister actually release the funds as the President directed? What was done with the money? How many illegal structures were torn down? Where?

What is the long-term plan for dealing with flooding in Ghana? This problem is not just an Accra problem; there have been floods all over the country. What is the AMA asking the Mayor of Accra about floods?

What is Parliament asking the President about floods?

Why do we keep having these disappointing failures in government with anybody taking responsibility? Why do people retain their jobs regardless of what happens? How can our governance improve when there are no consequences for failures?

It is important that we move from words to action. And let us focus this conversation on substance. Moving the capital from Accra will not make the floods in Accra go away. We shall still be dealing with the floods in our largest city and elsewhere.

As a wag in Accra put it derisively about plans, "Yate abre!"

Let's move to action, devoid of politics that will make the annual rains uneventful.

God bless Ghana.