A decade after June 3: Let’s restore dignity to the forgotten survivors

Today is exactly ten years when Accra experienced the never-to-be-forgotten disaster on June 3, 2015, that claimed over 150 lives and injured hundreds more.

The twin calamity of fire and flood at the GOIL Filling Station, near the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, remains one of the darkest chapters in Ghana’s recent history.

As the nation once again marks the anniversary, it is not enough to simply remember; we must also act.

The passage of time has neither erased the pain of the victims nor the scars they bear, physically and emotionally.

For many survivors, life after the disaster has been an uphill battle marked by neglect, poverty and exclusion.

Chief among them are those who sustained severe burns, predominantly drivers, who have found it nearly impossible to secure employment due to their altered physical appearance.

Their inability to return to their previous jobs has plunged them into a cycle of dependence and hardship.

Survivors like Kasim Suraj continue to endure the painful consequences of that night (see page 42).

Years of ongoing surgeries, commuting long distances for medical reviews, and the emotional burden of losing loved ones have taken their toll.

His appeal for a vehicle to enable him to work and support his children is not a plea for charity but a call for dignity.

Likewise, Alex Mensah’s dreams of owning a vehicle after years of borrowing from friends just to make ends meet.

These are not idle demands — they are requests grounded in a desire to reclaim independence and provide for their families.

Thomas Sekyi, Chairman of the Flood and Fire Victims Association, has spoken eloquently about the continued neglect of survivors and the indifference often displayed by some public institutions.

Despite repeated efforts to engage the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly (KoKMA), survivors have been met with bureaucratic silence.

Even more worrying is the absence of a coordinated national support system to reintegrate victims into society.

In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, then-President John Dramani Mahama extended the much-needed support to the victims and promised to establish a support fund.

It is therefore expected that as he has returned to the political stage, many survivors have expressed renewed hope that the promise will be fulfilled.

While it is commendable that former President Mahama is remembered for his initial assistance, we must not rely solely on political goodwill.

The responsibility lies with the state — regardless of who is in power — to ensure that these citizens are not left behind.

The Daily Graphic believes the time has come for a multi-stakeholder response. We call on the government to urgently revive and operationalise a comprehensive support scheme for June 3 survivors. This should include medical aid, job training, startup capital for small businesses and psychological counselling,  including post-trauma care.

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations must coordinate efforts to ensure no survivor is left to languish in poverty and pain.

Beyond the government, non-governmental organisations, religious institutions, corporate entities and philanthropic individuals have a moral duty to intervene.

Many of the survivors are capable and willing to work. They need opportunity, not sympathy.

Establishing a survivor rehabilitation and skills development fund, supported by both public and private sectors, could provide a sustainable lifeline for these Ghanaians.

While supporting the victims is urgent, preventing a recurrence of such a tragedy is equally critical.

The June 3 disaster was not a mere accident.

It was the result of systemic failures: poor drainage, urban congestion, lack of enforcement of safety protocols, and environmental mismanagement.

Fuel stations must not be allowed to operate in flood-prone areas.

Urban planning authorities must enforce zoning regulations and upgrade drainage infrastructure.

The country’s cities can no longer afford to be reactive.

A national task force must be commissioned to assess flood and fire risks and implement early-warning systems.

We echo the sentiments of the driver, Kofi Arhin, who rightly pointed out that the media must do more than commemorate the tragedy annually.

Journalistic focus should consistently highlight the living conditions of survivors and keep their stories in the national conscience until real change occurs.

The tragedy of June 3, 2015, should not merely be a somber memory etched in our collective past.

It should be a reminder that behind every anniversary are real people still struggling to rebuild their lives.

As a nation, we owe them more than remembrance. We owe them restoration.