Interior Minister Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak has issued a heartfelt apology to Ghanaians following the catastrophic Monday downpour that has left nine dead and countless homes destroyed across the capital
In a candid appearance on JoyNews’ PM Express, the Asawase MP acknowledged the government’s shortcomings while defending officials’ response to the disaster that has plunged Accra into crisis.
“Yes, we are really very sorry for the loss of life. We are sorry that this thing has really devastated Accra,” Muntaka stated, his voice heavy with the weight of the tragedy.
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The Interior Minister revealed that the meteorological department issued the critical alert only at 11 pm on Sunday, when most Ghanaians were already asleep—a revelation that has sparked outrage among citizens, who question the authorities’ preparedness.
But Muntaka pushed back against accusations of complacency: “Let’s not make it look like all politicians are people who are not thinking about the country.”
Emergency response
In a desperate bid to reach citizens, Muntaka revealed he personally contacted the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Sam George, to coordinate emergency alerts through telecommunications networks.
“I called him, I said that look, you need to help us,” Muntaka explained, thanking his colleague for swift action.
The Interior Minister disclosed that high-level discussions have already commenced at the Presidency to improve inter-ministerial coordination ahead of future emergencies, with the Secretary to the President agreeing to convene all ministers for emergency preparedness talks.
Government commitment
Rejecting suggestions of official negligence, Muntaka insisted he remained awake throughout the night monitoring the unfolding catastrophe and maintained constant communication with President John Mahama.
“I can bet you, we didn’t sleep; I didn’t sleep, and I know the time that I had to speak to the President early in the morning. I woke him up, and he’s been up and asking questions almost throughout, and he went around to see so,” he declared.
Constraints
In a sobering admission, Muntaka acknowledged Ghana’s limited capacity to respond to disasters of this magnitude, stating plainly: “This country is not a rich country, where we have shelters so we can collect people and go and put them there.”
He maintained that Monday’s rainfall intensity meant flooding was virtually unavoidable: “The only way this rain today could have been avoided from going into people’s homes was to lump the whole of Accra as a drain.”