Ahiagbah Insists 34 Flood Victims Would Live Under NPP
ACCRA — The opposition New Patriotic Party has laid the recent flood fatalities squarely at the feet of the governing National Democratic Congress, with party Communications Director Richard Ahiagbah asserting that thirty four lives would have been preserved had the NPP retained power.
The incendiary remarks, delivered during a press engagement in Accra on UTV, have reignited the perennial political contestation over disaster preparedness and urban resilience in the capital. Ahiagbah contended that the incumbent administration’s abandonment of critical drainage infrastructure and early warning mechanisms created the conditions for the tragedy. He argued that a different stewardship would have prioritized mitigation over rhetoric, thereby averting the loss of human life that has now plunged several communities into mourning.
“The trajectory of governance matters,” Ahiagbah said. “Those thirty four people would still be alive if the NPP had won. What we are witnessing is the consequence of policy inertia and a deliberate disregard for the technical advisories left behind.” His comments immediately drew sharp rebuttals from government communicators, who described the linkage as opportunistic and insensitive to grieving families.
The latest inundation followed hours of torrential rainfall that overwhelmed choked gutters and poorly maintained culverts across low-lying districts. Emergency services have since been engaged in evacuation, relief distribution, and damage assessment, while meteorologists warn of further precipitation in the coming days. Urban planners have long cautioned that unregulated development, siltation, and inadequate investment in storm water management continue to exacerbate vulnerability in Accra’s flood-prone enclaves.
The episode also revives scrutiny of intergovernmental coordination between the Ministry of Works and Housing, the National Disaster Management Organization, and metropolitan assemblies. Analysts note that flood mitigation requires sustained budgetary commitment beyond electoral cycles, a reality often compromised by partisan transitions. With public outrage mounting, pressure is intensifying on the NDC administration to demonstrate tangible interventions rather than engage in recrimination.
The political ramifications are likely to reverberate as the country approaches another electoral season, with disaster governance now firmly inscribed on the national agenda. For the families interred and displaced, however, the debate offers little solace, underscoring the urgent need for depoliticized, evidence-based solutions to a crisis that respects no party colors.
Author: Korkor Anumu
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