When the floods came at night, they swallowed homes, swept away memories and left behind nothing but silence and mud where laughter once lived.
But into that silence, hope arrived over the weekend, riding on trucks loaded with rice, tomatoes, milk and cloth — driven by the conviction of one man who believes that wealth without compassion is nothing but noise.
Behind the gesture was businessman and philanthropist Alhaji Seidu Agongo, who once again demonstrated that true riches are not measured in cedis, but in lives touched and burdens lifted.
Following the June floods that ravaged several parts of Accra, displacing families and destroying livelihoods within hours, Alhaji Agongo responded by donating relief items valued at GH¢1.45 million to affected residents.
Residents of Mamobi, Nima (Beline Bridge), Alajo Assemblies of God, Alajo Central and North, Quay Mensah and Kaneshie Station took turns receiving the items, briefly replacing the pain of their losses with smiles and renewed hope.
Convoy of compassion
Earlier in the day, trucks arrived carrying bags of premium perfumed rice, cartons of tin tomatoes, tins of milk and bales of cloth — items carefully selected not only to provide support but also to restore dignity to families who had lost almost everything.
Standing among affected residents at Mamobi, Alhaji Agongo said he was not only there to provide relief but also to inspire members of the business community to support vulnerable people during difficult times.
“It is disheartening to see the entire burden of this calamity resting squarely on the government’s shoulders,” he said.
“For me, we rise together, or we do not rise at all, and so we cannot afford to be mere spectators while our brothers and sisters suffer.”
Past charity interventions
The donation adds to a long list of philanthropic interventions by Alhaji Agongo over the years.
He has supported education and healthcare initiatives across Ghana through the construction and renovation of schools, payment of school fees for underprivileged students and settlement of medical bills for vulnerable patients.
“As a Muslim, my faith teaches me that service to mankind is service to Allah,” he said.
“For us, giving is not a choice; it is a duty. It is humane, and I am privileged that I can afford to share,” he added.
Leadership must act
Beyond the immediate relief, Alhaji Agongo called on state institutions to enforce regulations on waste disposal, prevent construction on waterways and prioritise regular desilting of drains to address the recurring flood situation.
He said it was unfortunate that Ghana, nearly seven decades after independence, continues to experience the same flooding challenges despite having the human resources, mineral wealth and technical expertise required to solve the problem permanently.
According to him, while some measures may appear difficult at the beginning, leadership must take decisive action to deliver lasting solutions and restore hope to affected communities.
He also called for a non-partisan approach to addressing flooding, stressing that the challenge affects everyone regardless of political affiliation.
“Floods do not discriminate,” he said, adding that Ghana has battled the problem since the 1980s and requires collective action to find a lasting solution.
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