Accra Rains: Climate Change and Attitude

The topic is almost trite to begin with. At about 4 A.M. this morning, I received a call from a former colleague journalist. He asked if my home was flooded. The mention of flood jolted me out of my sleep. No, my home was not, I live at Dansoman and sometimes Osu and hardly does Osu get flooded.

But I was up and busy tweeting whichever credible information I could lay my hands on. At the time, many Ghanaians I know on twitter were silent, or probably asleep. I turned to Citi FM. And as it turned out, Richard Dela Sky had started a live report from at around one in the morning. It was the kind of journalism devoid of sensationalism but well focused on detail and description. Then many other Citi FM reporters got hooked on reporting from the whole Circle area, Achimota, Kisseiman, Kasoa, Weija et cetera. I still felt alone relaying all that information on to twitter until I saw that colleague Ghana Blogger member Mac-Jordan was awake.

Ghana Army arriving on scene

For me, I noticed that although news reporting started during the early hours when areas started getting flooded, it was not until about four hours later that the nation''s security appeared on the scenes as they tried to rescue flood victims.

The Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mr. Portuphy, said his office has put together a combine rescue team consisting of the Ghana Army, Police and Fire Service. That was at about 5.30 A.M. Three deaths had been reported, two had been confirmed. Six people were reported missing. Communities were flooded with people on top of their homes

When Citi FM spoke to Dr. Amamoo, an expert, he confirmed that Accra had a primordial rainfall pattern and September-October was the second phase. If anything at all, Accra had just made a turnaround to pick up its past rainfall pattern. This says a lot about us as a people. We have taken too many things for granted. Indeed, climate change cannot be factored out of these change in rainfall pattern. And what have we done to contribute to this? Dr. Amamoo points to our destruction of Accra's vegetation. The rains fall and quickly disappear.
 Indeed, flood is a discourse we have had over the years and yet, our reaction has been quite predictable.
Many have mentioned building on Accra's waterways. I dare say that if we plan and prepare ahead, that could be surmounted. And oh the drainages, if you see someone litter, call him or her to pick it up!

As for His Excellency the President, just as I anticipated, he was on the flood scenes making a first stop at Circle where he said   "...the government will do everything to bring this under control" and extended his sympathies to the families of the flood victims. I think it is not the sympathies we need. Get the boats for the military. Too expensive? Try building a ship industry! Not too ambitious

Meanwhile, I can only congratulate the many Ghanaians who stepped out to show great communal spirit by helping those in distress while help seemed far-fetched. The journalists who helped disseminate information and cover the ongoing destruction of property. We can educate residents on how to respond better to floods or any forms of disaster.

For a crowdmap on the Accra Floods, please click here. On twitter, use the hashtag #AccraFloods

Elizabeth-Irene Baitie: Guest Writer for October's

This month, we will be featuring Elizabeth Irene-Baitie, author of the novel, “The Twelfth Heart”, which won the first prize in the Burt Award for African Literature (Ghana) in 2010.

Elizabeth-Irene Baitie is a Clinical Biochemist and runs a medical laboratory practice in Adabraka. She grew up in Ghana. She attended Achimota School, and has a degree in Biochemistry with Chemistry from the University of Ghana, Legon, as well as a postgraduate degree in Clinical Biochemistry from the University of Surrey in the UK.

In 2002, her novel, “Lea’s Christmas”, was short-listed for the Macmillan Writers Prize for Africa (Senior readers). Four years later, her children’s story, “A Saint in Brown Sandals”, won the Macmillan Prize for Africa (Junior readers). She has just finished another novel for young adult readers which will be published next year.

Elizabeth will be reading from her novel, “The Twelfth Heart” (book cover to the left), which tells the story of fifteen year old Mercy, in boarding school for the first time. Mercy knew the sort of friends she wanted to make — certainly no-one who would remind her of the small town she had left behind — poor, ugly or dull. How was she to know that the least likely of the girls in her boarding house would come to mean the most to them all?

This event offers the opportunity to listen to and interact with Elizabeth-Irene Baitie. There will be a short discussion session after the readings. Copies of the book will be on sale.

This programme is organised in collaboration with the Goethe Institute, Accra.

Date: Wednesday, 26th October
Time 7:00pm – 8:00pm.
Location: Goethe-Institut Accra, 30 Kakramadu Road, (next to NAFTI ), Cantonments, Accra.
Admission is free.

Accra Reads! Accra's Celebrity Readings

Accra Reads, an annual reading project initiated by the Goethe-Institut, commenced in October 2010 with its first edition. Themed, “Creating Leaders Through Reading”, Accra Reads aims at generating the habit of reading among Ghanaians, especially school children in some relatively deprived communities in Accra. The whole idea is to bring Ghanaian celebrities to read and interact with pupils, using a book by a Ghanaian author. The Writers Project of Ghana (WPG) has been a key partner of Accra Reads from its inception.

Last year, two public readings were held on the 7th and 8th October at the Kathy Knowles Library (Mamobi/Nima) and Arts Centre (Accra Central) respectively. It was inspiring to say the least, to witness musicians such Paapa Yankson, Asem, Ayigbe Edem and Richie read to children. Also present at the event were high powered representatives from the Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service and UNESCO.

This year, Accra Reads promises to be more exciting with four public readings spread throughout the month of October. These readings will be preceded by a brass-band processing through the streets of James Town and an official launch at the Ghana Library Board Premises on 6th October, 2011. Our first reading session will be on 7th October, tomorrow.

On Friday, 14th October 2011, Accra Reads will start off at the Kathy Knowles Library where the event was launched last year. This will be followed by a reading in Mamprobi on 21st October and a final session at Madina on 28th October. At every public reading, there will be at least two celebrities present to read from “Between Sisters”, a book authored by Adwoa Badoe. It promises to be fun and impactful and WPG looks forward to yet another successful event this year.