GHANA-BLAST/NATIONAL MOURNING Ghana mourns petrol station blast, flooding victims as leaders urge infrastructure upgrade

Record ID: 150448

  • Title: GHANA-BLAST/NATIONAL MOURNING Ghana mourns petrol station blast, flooding victims as leaders urge infrastructure upgrade
  • Date: 9th June 2015
  • Summary: ACCRA, GHANA (JUNE 08, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TENTS AT MEMORIAL CEREMONY VENUE BAND PLAYING MUSIC MOURNERS IN TRADITIONAL MOURNING DRESS ARRIVING FOR CEREMONY VARIOUS OF GUESTS SEATED AT EVENT
  • Embargoed: 24th June 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Ghana
  • Country: Ghana
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVABQLX15Z9O6EXM0WUPI0WB86R2
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Ghanaians from various parts of the country turned out at a memorial ceremony on Monday (June 08) dressed in red and black, colours that signify a time of mourning, to honour victims of an explosion last week, that rocked a petrol station in Accra at a time when the city was hit by flooding.
    The accident which claimed about 150 lives was Ghana's single worst disaster since more than 120 people died in May 2001 in a stampede at the national stadium during a football match according to a police spokesman.
    The country is observing three days of national mourning and part of events included a launch by local network TV3 of a 10 million cedi fund known as the 'June 3 Disaster Support fund' to support survivors of the disaster and educate the public on precautions to take during flooding.
    Former President, John Kufuor addressed guests at the event and called on the government to focus on improving infrastructure to prevent similar disasters in future.
    "It is now time for our professional institutions, the institution of engineers, the institution of architects, the institution of planners among others to stand up and be counted," he said.
    "We have a whole range of people from different sides of political divide and the whole point is to understand that we have to face this problem as Ghanaians first and foremost we need to drop the partisanship, the religious divides all the problems that we have that are polarising our communities and making us stay behind in our progress we need to face this as one people one family and I think if we do that we will progress," added Dr Zenator Agyemang Rawlings, the disaster fund's ambassador.
    Victims had sought shelter from floods overnight at the state-owned GOIL gas station near a busy downtown intersection; when an explosion rocked the gas station. Thousands more were also made homeless in the citywide flooding at the time.
    The incidents expose the weakness of Accra's infrastructure which has failed to keep pace with population growth after years of rapid economic expansion. It is vulnerable to storms that wreak havoc as poor drainage leads to flooding.
    Witnesses said low-wage workers struggling home through the seasonal storm with roads closed and minivan buses not running were victims of the blast, the force of which gave few a chance to escape. A fuel leak at the station caused the accident that also destroyed nearby buildings.
    Flags are flying at half mast and a service will be held for victims on Wednesday (June 10) near the site of the blast.
    Emergency efforts continue with well wishers being encouraged to send in donations as well as relief supplies.
    The national disaster management organisation (NADMO) is distributing supplies which include food, clothing and medical kits among others to affected families.
    Gavivina Yao is the organisation's chief disaster control officer.
    "We don't have enough time stock for distribution and that's why we are making sure that we spread the little that we have, however, as we are spreading more are coming not only from our own resources but also from donations that we're receiving and so as we are receiving them we're augmenting what we have sent to the field," he said.
    President John Mahama has said his government will sit down and strategise to avoid a similar incident but also blamed the floods partly on people building homes and businesses on the city's waterways, blocking drainage systems.
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