June 3 disaster: ‘Where is the compensation?’ – One Ghana Movement laments slow pace of justice
Civil society group One Ghana Movement has lamented the slow pace of justice for victims of the June 3 flood and fire disaster which killed at least 152.
In a commemorative video to mark the fifth anniversary of the disaster, the movement, which is providing legal aid to more than 70 victims, said the victims deserve their compensation.
“The victims have been through a lot… unfortunately, the wheels of justice grind slowly,” its Executive Secretary, Emily Kanyir Nyuur, said in the six-minute video.
The video also detailed the post-disaster conditions of some of the victims.
Alex Mensah, a taxi driver, showed a picture of his life before the disaster and mourned the drastic change of his fortunes since that fateful day.
Photo: Alex Mensah before the disaster
“We beg that with how much time has passed, and with how much we have fallen into difficult times…we pray that the courts and judges will let justice prevail.”
Alex Mensah has been without a job since the accident. The story of many others who say they are too deformed to hold down a job.
“The government promised to help us. But we don’t see the help” another victim, Uchenna Akpoxioha, said.
The One Ghana Movement, which launched the Justice for June 3 campaign in 2017, is seeking equitable compensation for the victims. Despite several donations following the disaster, little has reached the victims.
Only a few victims received GHc 10,000 on the first anniversary of the disaster in 2016. Most of it went into medical bills.
The One Ghana Movement also wants officials held liable for their actions and inactions that led to the avoidable flood and fire disaster.
The class-action suit is against Ghana Oil (GOIL), National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and the Accra Metropolitan Authority (AMA) for their complicity in the disaster.
A member of The One Ghana Movement’s legal team, Samson Lardy Anyenini, said the case is “now getting the point of real action.”
“Once we are able to get a trial to commence and have the opportunity to come into the witness box, and tell their stories for the judge to hear, we will then be in the process to going towards completing this whole trial”.
He said he was “very, very positive” of a favourable outcome of the case called on the victims to be “patient and hang in there.”
He lost his wife, daughter to June 3 fire; and lost his business last month
He expressed hope that the courts would deliver justice. “Once it is done we can heave a sigh of relief,” Mr Anyenini said.