In the misguided understanding and name of democracy, we have tolerated lawlessness and impunity, especially when it comes to land use planning and the built environment.
For too long, we have remained silent or lukewarm as waterways have been blocked with structures.
Half-hearted attempts, tinged with excessive partisanship and downright hypocrisy have combined to render us inactive as millions endure man-made disasters annually.
As we say in Ghana, for once, the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council, led by the Regional Minister, Ms Linda Akweley Ocloo, is demonstrating a rare and bold commitment that the days of political rhetorics are over and this is the time for action to stop the needless and avoidable flooding in many parts of the Accra Metropolis, with the determination to demolish all structures on waterways and nature reserves.
Our elders encourage us to support good deeds amid actions by submitting that, “dee oforo duapa na yepia no,” which finds its cross-cultural equivalence in the English rendition as the one who climbs a good tree deserves a push.
There is also the Ashanti dimension that “dee orewehwe adee ako Kotoko no, yennye no aboro”, meaning the one seeking the good and progress of Asanteman must not be undermined, left alone, nor abandoned. It only means such effort must be appreciated and supported.
Council
The Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council is doing a marvellous job, starting with the reclamation of the Ramsar Site at Sakumono, guided by the philosophy to do good to all irrespective of political affiliation and without recourse to whose ox is gored.
There is equally the pledge and commitment to demolish all structures obstructing drainage systems in any part of the metropolis if such structures obstruct the free flow of rainwater and lead to flooding.
Indeed, we need such rare and bold initiatives to resolve the menace once and for all throughout the country, to restore discipline in planning in the built environment. It is even more heartening that efforts are also being pursued to decongest streets and major roads for trading activities.
Nii Adjiri Blankson is one of the most effective Chief Executives of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly.
He almost cleared the streets of Accra of all manner of trading activities and established the Circle-Odawna market to cater for displaced traders from the Central Business District of Accra.
Just as he was about to celebrate his achievement amidst public appreciation and recognition, the effort was torn into shreds because of a by-election.
Consequently, all the goodwill and praises that the public heaped on him evaporated, and instead of trust, there was cynicism.
Mr Henry Quartey was hailed by many for standing his ground in instilling discipline in the Greater Accra Region.
He moved to the Sakumomo Ramsar Site and started to stop developments in parts of the area to restore the natural habitat and help contain flooding.
When many hailed his effort with some proffering to the President to move him to other regions, he was brought down through internal partisan dissent.
He never regained his composure and lost whatever trust the public had placed in him.
He also courted enmity baselessly from landlords in the area.
The regional minister must be commended for moving the rhetoric into action.
We cannot promote the interests of a few individuals against our collective growth and development.
Some of the structures that Henry Quartey could not touch have now been razed to the ground.
It seems most of us have come to appreciate that it does not make sense for the majority to suffer unjustifiably because of the comfort of a few.
It is reasonable to allow individuals to enjoy their fundamental human rights only when their actions do not have adverse effects on the majority.
But for as long as the majority could suffer needless and irreparable damage, the few must be held in check because beyond rules and regulations, democracy is anchored on numbers.
It appears to me that this time round, the twists that encourage the media to frame such exercises as misguided and inhuman are absent.
Apart from a few individuals who initially shouted themselves hoarse and expressed regret for voting for the National Democratic Congress, whether their claims have foundation or otherwise, the outcry has been muted.
Concerns are now about whether the exercise would be sustained to cover all parts of the region, and by extension throughout the country.
It is no longer why the destruction of life-long investment and where the displaced people would lay their heads but that we must ensure that the exercise is carried out without discrimination of any form, especially from political party angles.
Because of our past history of partisan fanaticism and nepotism, my appeal is for us to make hay whilst the sun shines and to strike hard when the iron is hot.
There is so much goodwill and overwhelming support for the exercise to clear waterways of structures and our city centres of street hawkers.
We must thus not fail by giving our unflinching and unqualified support to the decongestion and demolition exercises.
We must all be at ad idem and united for a common purpose.
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