PPP Presidential candidate Papa Kwesi Nduom says President Mahama must be held responsible for Accra Mayor’s incompetence and failure to deal with the perennial flooding in the capital, Accra.

“If the Mayor of Accra does not do his job, it is the President who must make him do his job,” he said on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show Friday.

He explained that John Mahama’s stubborn faith in his appointee, Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, after 8 years of his poor leadership makes the president culpable for the avoidable loss of life and property.

His comments follow renewed discussions about flooding in Accra Thursday after hours of torrential rains.

Arguably Ghana’s most predictable disaster, Accra got flooded despite repeated assurances by city authorities that they have measures in place to prevent the occurrence. 

According to the PPP presidential candidate, this disaster on replay is down to political leadership.

“Who is responsible for managing Accra? Making sure there is proper drainage? And today if you ask that question it is only one person – John Dramani Mahama..he has the responsibility and he is the one who appoints.”

Dr. Nduom used the recurring disaster and the failure of city authorities to stop them as proof of the need for the election of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives “so we can hold somebody who is in that geographic entity, responsible”.

 Alfred Oko Vanderpuye who was awarded the Best Mayor of Africa in 2015 has repeatedly assured the nation that he is working to ensure the city does not flood whenever it rains.

At a memorial service for last year’s June 3, 2015 flooding disaster which claimed 153 lives, Oko Vanderpuye said he had dredged 45% of the Odaw river, a major water body choked with solid waste and heavy silt.

But that didn't prevent the occurrence of the flooding yesterday.

Progressive Peoples’ Party’s presidential candidate Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom said Ghana must put water bodies to better use than degrading it as a dumping site for solid waste.

He believes it is possible to follow global examples of turning water bodies like the Odaw river into entertainment and tourism centers.

Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom indicated on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show Friday, there are enough technical experts in Ghana capable of modernising the city and its poor drainage system.

He condemned the attitude of using water bodies to “control garbage” and said it is also because the government is yet to find “important economic and social uses” of water bodies.