Dr Zanetor Demands Action, Not Promises, on 10th Anniversary of June 3 Disaster

On the 10th anniversary of the tragic June 3 disaster that claimed over 150 lives at the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, the Member of Parliament for Klottey-Korle, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has renewed calls for urgent and sustained action on waste management, urban planning, and disaster preparedness.

In a statement delivered on the floor of Parliament, Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings described the 2015 flood and fire catastrophe as “one of the darkest moments in the history of our capital city,” emphasizing that a decade later, the root causes of the disaster still persist.

“These were not just numbers in a statistic,” she said. “They were parents, children, workers, friends, and neighbours. Entire families were torn apart, livelihoods destroyed, and dreams extinguished.”

The MP drew attention to the ongoing challenges of unregulated development, poor enforcement of building codes, inadequate drainage infrastructure, and decades of failure in solid waste management. She warned that these systemic issues continue to put lives at risk whenever heavy rains fall.

She expressed appreciation to President Akufo-Addo for visiting her constituency to inspect ongoing dredging works on the Odaw River—a critical intervention aimed at reducing flooding in Accra. However, she cautioned that while political commitments and budget allocations are welcome, they must be followed by real action.

“From the $200 million allocated to the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) project in 2019—of which $65 million was controversially redirected to COVID-19 response—to the $150 million approved in 2024, we’ve had plans,” she stated. “But plans without implementation are simply words on paper.”

Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings who is Chairperson of Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliament recounted multiple flood events since 2015 and at least two fuel station explosions that have occurred in her constituency and beyond, underscoring the need for not just remembrance but decisive policy action.

She stressed that disaster prevention must involve proactive regulation, public awareness, enforcement of building regulations, proper maintenance of drainage systems, and a cultural shift towards sustainable waste practices.

“Let us strengthen our waste management systems with a bold embrace of the three Rs—reduce, reuse, and recycle. Let us ensure that NADMO and other agencies become proactive, not reactive,” she urged.

Concluding her remarks, she called on government and citizens alike to honour the memory of the June 3 victims with action, not just words.

“We owe it to the memory of the victims, to the vulnerable who have no insurance, no voice, and no buffer. The cost of preparedness is far less than the cost of tragedy. Ten years is long enough. Let us act—not out of fear, but out of responsibility.”

The June 3 disaster remains a powerful symbol of Ghana’s need for urban resilience and environmental accountability. Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings’ statement reaffirms her longstanding advocacy for sustainable development, disaster prevention, and climate-conscious governance.