Former Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo, has defended President John Dramani Mahama’s decision to conduct an aerial assessment of the recent floods in Accra, dismissing criticism that the President should have toured affected communities by road.
President Mahama faced public scrutiny after he opted to inspect flood-hit areas from a military helicopter following the torrential rains that inundated parts of the capital on Monday, June 29.
While some critics argued that the President should have visited affected areas by road to engage directly with victims and assess the destruction at ground level, others maintained that an aerial survey offered a faster and more comprehensive overview of the situation.
Speaking on Channel One TV on Saturday, July 4, Mr Afotey-Agbo said the President’s decision was practical, given the severity of the flooding and the poor accessibility of affected areas at the time.
“You can’t blame the President for going up at the time because everywhere was flooded and the vehicles wouldn’t have been able to move fast enough to know exactly the extent of damage. That is why he went up to ascertain what happened within a short time,” he said.
He added that aerial assessments had previously been used effectively to evaluate flood situations across multiple parts of the region within a short period.
“I used to fly to the Ada area, the Volta Region and then fly to the Bortiano and Weija area within a short time and then go to the Air Force base to land and then go on the ground to start working,” he noted.
The floods submerged homes, roads and businesses across several communities, leaving residents stranded, damaging property and disrupting economic activity.
The incident has intensified discussions on Accra’s recurring flooding challenges, with renewed calls for long-term solutions as emergency response teams continue recovery and relief efforts.
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