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| Negligence and the guilty: President spotted on accident site without helmet |
The Question of Negligence: Everyone is Guilty
Corruption
will not allow Ghanaian officials to do the right thing, not even for
once. As I write this, my heart is seriously bleeding for the future of
Ghana, my beloved country. Today, negligence and the disregard for the
law has become too common that almost everyone in the country especially
those in authority are more guilty that the man in the street. Instead
of leaders to lead by examples, they’re rather good at making speeches,
whiles they look up to the ordinary citizen to do to obey the laws.
Little or no attention is paid to health and safety. In fact, it looks
like even those who have been given the authority to enforce these
regulations are do not even seem to understand how the system must work.
Blame The Politicians
On
the early morning of Wednesday, at about 9:30hrs GMT, MELCOM, one of
Ghana’s shopping malls located near Achimota in the capital city, had
collapsed due to negligence and the usual poor maintenance culture in
Ghana. Due to its large size, about 50 people were trapped in the
collapsed building and there were many who were feared dead at the time.
On
hearing the news, immediately, the National Disaster Management
Organization (NADMO), the Ghana National Fire Service and some selected
members from the Ghana Arm Forces, were deployed to the accident scene
to help with the rescue mission.
Because
the incidence is a national disaster, one would expect that, those
tasked with the rescue mission would be well abreast with Health and Safety issues on site,
especially since the incidence involved a collapsed building structure,
with falling debris here and there. In fact the whole atmosphere was
smelling disaster, requiring the Safety officials to be on high alert at
the scene.
As
expected, the President of the Republic, His Excellency John Dramani
Mahama appeared on the accident scene, cladded in red t-shirt, with his
large entourage. As usual, the president made a speech
which touched on Health and Safety issues. He highlighted the poor
maintenance culture in the country and the people’s complete disregard
for the Code of Practice in the construction industry. “Those whose negligence led to the tragedy will pay a price”, said the president.
When the president of Ghana was speaking on the accident scene, one would expect that he and his team would guard themselves in some kind of health and safety boots, with safety helmets and some high visibility jackets and possibly some goggles especially
since his speech touched on the code of practice, negligence and the
need to pay attention to safety in the construction industry in the
country.
However, what did Ghanaians see on their TV sets? The president and his team were in their usual t-shirts, slippers and shoes. No safety boots, no helmets, not high visibility jackets no goggles!
No regard for safety even on the accident site! But this is our beloved
president telling us about negligence when even his own team did not
demonstrate how it must be done on an accident site/scene. This is an
absolute disgrace to the Health and Safety teams on the scene especially
those who led the president on tour the accident scene. All the
construction experts in the country as a whole must bow their heads in
shame for allowing such a thing to happen in the country.
Even
though I cannot entirely blame the president for this “negligence”
which he himself has been found guilty of, I think it is time for the
people of Ghana to realize that their tax moneys are not properly being
utilize. Especially when we have such a national disaster, to the point
where the safety of our beloved president and his team could not
properly be taken care of.
What
would have happened if the president had treaded on some broken bottle,
or some sharp iron rods upon his arrival on the site? What would have
happened if there were some falling debris elsewhere on the site? Can
the people of Ghana truly trust that the safety of our president is in
good hands?
As
the government intends to hold those found guilty of negligence
accountable, I am appealing to the president to hold accountable, the
Health and Safety officials on the site, who displayed such level of
negligence in regards to the safety of the president and his entourage.
We
do not want to hear of our president visiting an accident scene only to
find himself in another accident due to the negligence on the part of
some incompetent officials somewhere.
We
the youth in Ghana mean business when we say we love Ghana and we do
not want the negligence on the part of a few people in authority to
jeopardize our happiness.
Ghanaians
as a whole need attitudinal change and this must begin from the top to
the grassroots. Holding ourselves accountable must follow a top-down
approach because many of our leaders in authority are guiltier than the
ordinary citizens, when it comes to blatant disregard for our laws and
the rules of engagement.
In
the meantime, let me take this opportunity to express my sincere
sympathy to Ghanaians all over the world in this troubled times. I also
send my message of condolences to the bereaved families and all those
who might have sustained some injuries due to the negligence of our
leaders. Corruption will not allow the metropolitan/district assemblies
to do the right thing in our communities. As long as bribes are
collected, these authorities will approve of anything. Right now, it
appears the Health and Safety regulations are only enforced on those who
do not have the money to buy their way through. No wonder more
buildings are continuously sighted along power grids and many more such
dangerous places in the country.
I weep for the future of Ghana, my beloved country.
Long live Ghana.
By Honourable Saka
The author is a proud Pan-Africanist and the founder of the Project Pan-African
(PPA), an organization that was established with the sole purpose to
unlock the minds of the African youth to contribute positively to the
development of Africa. Please visit PPA’s website at: www.projectpanafrica.org. You may email him at: honourablesaka@yahoo.co.uk
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