“Turn back now” — Presidency demands obedience to flood safety rules

Ghana’s executive branch has issued a stark warning to the nation’s population: heed every instruction issued by emergency authorities, remain sheltered where safe, and abandon any impulse to venture into submerged terrain that could claim your life.

The Presidency distributed its public safety directive on Monday as the deluge showed no signs of abating, casting a wide net to capture all residents caught in the crosshairs of the meteorological emergency sweeping the country.

#image_title

Those fortunate enough to be positioned in secure indoor spaces are commanded to remain there. Departure from shelter runs counter to survival instinct and should be resisted regardless of inconvenience or pressing business. Movement outdoors invites exposure to rising waters and electrical hazards that multiply with each passing hour.

#image_title

The gravest warnings concern the temptation to traverse flooded corridors. Whether on foot or behind the wheel, attempting to cross water-logged thoroughfares represents a gamble with death itself. Currents possess deceptive power and water depth proves impossible to judge visually — calculations that feel safe prove catastrophically wrong when the current seizes a vehicle or sweeps a pedestrian downstream.

Specific routes have been flagged as particularly treacherous: the Mallam-Kasoa corridor, Alajo precincts and Graphic Road environs. Motorists encountering water at any depth on these or any other thoroughfare have been explicitly directed to reverse course immediately and locate alternate, elevated pathways rather than test their vehicle’s buoyancy.

#image_title

For those whose residences are being invaded by floodwaters, evacuation to higher ground is not optional — it is immediate necessity. The Presidency has directed such individuals to activate the national emergency hotline at 112 to request assistance from rescue teams.

Beyond floodwaters themselves, electrical hazards multiply exponentially as precipitation meets compromised infrastructure. The Presidency has counselled the public to disconnect appliances from outlets and maintain maximum distance from electricity poles, transformer stations and downed power lines — precautions essential to avoiding electrocution.

The presidential statement reaffirmed that public wellbeing transcends all other considerations as authorities track the evolving weather patterns and coordinate emergency responses across affected communities.

Yaw Opoku Amoako

See Full Bio