Wall of Rawlings’ Ridge residence toppled after downpour

A former Head of State, Jerry John Rawlings, was also not spared by the Friday Morning downpour in the national capital Accra, as the walls of his Ridge Residence was toppled by the storm.

The collapsed walls, sighted by Citi News, resembled the remnants of an Accra Metropolitan Assembly demolition exercise.

There are currently at least four police officers at the residence, but the former President’s security detail declined to speak to Citi News.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Service has deployed more personnel to various parts of the capital, Accra, to restore calm and order on the major roads after a Friday morning downpour.

There is heavy vehicular traffic on major roads in the country such as Spintex Road, Kaneshie and Kasoa after the rain.

The situation has resulted in serious congestion on the roads due to the immotorable nature of some adjoining roads.

Some drivers who called into the Citi Breakfast Show lamented that attempts by other drivers to manoeuvre their way through traffic have resulted in a gridlock, requiring police presence to restore order.

But Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Alexander Obeng, Head of Education, Research and Training, MTTU, has said that the Police have already deployed personnel to address the situation.

“Traffic police officers are scattered all over those areas. We are doing what we have to do. It is because of the coincidence that it is rush hour, and usually traffic is there and it’s intended indiscipline among motorists, and the rains that have blown down burying the road compounding traffic, but there shouldn’t be panic,” he said.

“It is easing all over. Now we are on the ground and we are doing what we have to do,” he added.

Many parts of Accra and Kumasi have been submerged in flood waters, curtailing vehicular movement after few hours of rain on Friday morning.

Most drivers have been forced to make a detour, while others have parked their vehicles due to the pool of flood waters on major highways.

Areas such as Teshie-Nungua, Lapaz, Shiashie, Darkuman and Kaneshie in Accra and Kumasi Ahensan, have been badly affected.

The flooding situation has resulted in a gridlock in areas such as Tetteh Quarshie, Kaneshie and Lapaz.

The situation according to the Works and Housing Minister, Samuel Atta Akyea, may not improve until the country makes a $700 million investment to permanently fix it.