On Wednesday 3 June 2015, Ghana witnessed the Mother of all Disasters unleash her lethal wrath on hundreds of unsuspectingly innocent citizens. An unusual downpour causing flooding combined with an outbreak of fire resulting from ear-splitting, heartrending fuel explosion at a GOIL petrol filling station at Circle in Accra, has caused inconsolable grief to many a family in Ghana. The death toll that occurred in this particular incident is one of the kind never seen in the contemporary history of Ghana; victims burned into ashes or charred beyond recognition.
I cringe at the sight of the reportage of the incident; the video or camera coverage of the dead bodies lying about amid the remains of burnt out cars sprawled across the area. What a natural and probably a human error disaster, I surmise?
Whatever the cause(s) of the incident are, I express my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families at this disturbing juncture of their lives. I also sympathise with the dead and pray that God Almighty finds them a resting place in His bosom.
Human error emanating from careless use of our open sewers, otherwise called gutters, thus, people choking them with refuse on daily bases could have lead to blockages hence the flooding on that fateful day. Additionally, lightning stroke or electrical fault caused by the downpour could have caused the explosion of the fuel station. However, this publication is directed at grieving with, and consoling, the bereaved families.
It will not be appropriate for me, a known name on the Ghanaian websites, to stay without weeping with the entire nation on the death of our dear ones who have lost their lives prematurely through no fault of theirs. Let us all mourn them as declared by the President of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama.
Rockson Adofo