The Minority in Parliament is demanding an urgent briefing from the Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, on measures being taken to prevent disease outbreaks following Monday’s devastating floods that have affected more than 38,000 people and claimed 12 lives.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin said Parliament must be updated on the government’s public health response to the disaster, warning that the flooding has created conditions that could trigger outbreaks of communicable diseases.
“Overflowing sanitation facilities create conditions for the rapid spread of communicable diseases,” he said.
“The Minority is therefore pressing for an urgent briefing by the Minister of Health on the steps being taken to monitor affected communities for early signs of disease outbreak, what emergency supplies have been supplied to flood-hit areas, and what surveillance is in place should an outbreak occur.”
The Minority said the Health Minister should also explain the government’s preparedness to respond to any emerging public health emergency in communities affected by the floods.
The opposition caucus further accused the government of worsening the country’s environmental challenges through policies it claims have encouraged illegal mining.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin alleged that the establishment of GoldBod and the Bank of Ghana’s Gold-for-Reserves programme had entrenched illegal mining activities, contributing to environmental degradation that has exacerbated flooding.
“Illegal mining destroys the very watersheds, wetlands and river systems that would otherwise channel rainfall away from our cities and farmlands,” he said.
“A government that subsidises these natural defences with one hand cannot credibly claim with the other hand that this year’s flooding was an act of nature.”
He argued that the government should be held accountable for what he described as policies that contradict its campaign promises to tackle illegal mining.
“The Minority holds the government accountable for the galamsey policy that is contrary to its own campaign promise and is contributing to the disaster it is now claiming to be responding to,” he said.
The Minority’s demands come as authorities continue relief and recovery efforts in flood-affected communities, amid concerns over the humanitarian and public health impact of one of the capital’s deadliest flooding incidents in recent years.
