Accra: NPP communicator, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has criticized the operational capacity of emergency response institutions following the June 29 flooding, asserting that responders lacked the necessary equipment to manage the situation effectively.
According to Ghana Web, Aboagye highlighted the significant role local volunteers played in the rescue efforts in some communities due to the limited resources available to official responders. 'NADMO showed up in a borrowed pickup from the district assembly and came with nothing except their reflective jackets,' he mentioned on Newsfile on Joy News.
Aboagye recounted instances where residents in affected areas had to rely on canoes to evacuate individuals trapped by the floodwaters. 'It took young people from Nungua to come with canoes and start bringing people out of their homes,' he stated, emphasizing the community's pivotal role in the rescue operations.
He pointed out that the situation underscored broader concerns regarding disaster preparedness and the availability of emergency equipment. 'The disaster management itself is poor. There are no tools, there is no equipment,' he argued, stressing the need for emergency agencies to be adequately equipped for rescues during floods and other disasters.
Aboagye questioned the deployment of sufficient rescue resources, including ropes, boats, and other emergency equipment, to vulnerable areas. 'Where are the tools required to help people when situations like this occur?' he asked, calling for a reassessment of the resources allocated to emergency response efforts.