)
)
The little baby on the mother. That really hurts me a lot. They were both dead. I couldn't even control myself. I just asked myself how it could be me.
Lying in the pile of dead bodies was a mother with her baby on her chest in a warm embrace, their final breath after hours of struggle in floodwaters laced with burning hot fire.
This spine-chilling image is the haunting account of Ben, a resident of Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra who narrowly survived the June 3rd disaster. The heartbreaking moment has yet to fade away despite a decade having passed since the disastrous incident.
)
)
)
His story is just one of many victims who held on to the thin thread of life during the disaster which claimed over 150 lives and left several others with life-threatening injuries.
On 3rd June 2015, a day etched into Ghana's history as one of its darkest, an explosion at the GOIL filling station, combined with severe flooding at Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra.
The incident was caused after flood waters reached the GOIL filling station, where a fuel leak triggered a massive explosion. Fire and water engulfed the streets, shops, offices, and homes. Some wailed for help and others simply gave up their last breaths as the hours dragged on.
In his account, Mr Ben recounted:
I was working during the night when it started. The water started coming from the back. So this place got flooded. The water was at my waist and then around my neck, and the petrol was burning my thighs. So I had to climb this pillar to the lamp. So people followed me there.
After struggling for about an hour, he stated that he managed to survive; however, several others did not:
A whole lot of people died there. So that was the place where the little baby was lying on the mother. I couldn't even cry or control myself. I just asked myself how it could be me, by the grace of God. Everything is okay. But I didn't have any help from anybody.
Joyce Ocran, Widow of Victim Peter Arhin
I was speaking with my husband, who also worked at Circle near the fuel station, when he told me about the flooding and how everyone had gathered at his place. Around 9pm, I heard him scream for help and the phone hung up. I called back, but his phone was switched off, and because of the power cut I couldn't watch the news.
She further narrated:
At 10pm, one of his apprentices called and asked me if I had heard from him. I said no, and he immediately screamed. I received calls from others and I could not sleep. At midnight, a neighbour who was a police officer asked me if I had heard from him. That was when he told me about what happened, and he drove me to Circle. It was very difficult.
Whilst these accounts may bring you to tears, the reality remains: has anything changed to avert a future occurrence?
Today, many Ghanaians are still frightened of going out during rainy seasons, raising the question of whether successive governments have done enough to protect citizens from these kinds of disasters.
Immediate Government Response
Following the tragedy, the government declared three days of national mourning and allocated GH₵60 million to support victims and their families. A presidential committee was established to investigate the incident and provide recommendations.
The committee identified poor drainage, unregulated construction, and inadequate waste management as key contributors to the disaster.
Its recommendations included dredging the Odaw River, improving drainage systems, and enhancing disaster response capabilities.
Long-Term Interventions
In the years following the disaster, government launched several projects to mitigate future risks. One major initiative, the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project, focuses on improving drainage infrastructure, waste management, and urban planning to reduce flooding.
Efforts have also been made to enhance waste collection and disposal to prevent blockages in drainage channels.
Additionally, a special committee was inaugurated in March, 2019 to oversee compensation to victims and their families, though some have experienced delays in receiving assistance.
Ongoing Challenges
Despite these measures, Accra still faces significant challenges with flooding and disaster preparedness which have worsened in recent years.
Survivors and civil society groups continue to call for sustained government action to address these systemic problems and prevent future tragedies.
ALSO READ: 'I need 5 helicopters, guns and 2 weeks to end galamsey on water bodies” – EPA Acting CEO
Summary
Whilst the government has taken important steps in response to the June 3rd disaster, continuous efforts are essential to fully tackle the underlying causes and strengthen the city's resilience against similar events in the future.