Former Greater Accra Regional Minister Henry Quartey has pointed to a dangerous blend of public indiscipline and political interference in urban planning as the root causes of the June 3, 2015 tragedy.
Reflecting on the catastrophic flood and explosion at a GOIL fuel station in Accra—which resulted in over 150 fatalities—Quartey said in an interview on June 4 that Ghana’s failure to prevent such disasters is largely due to political maneuvering and a blatant disregard for established standards.
He emphasized, “One major issue is indiscipline. Another is the absence of proper planning and adherence to standards, all worsened by political interests—plain and simple.”
Quartey also condemned politicians’ undue influence over regulatory bodies, noting that while technical experts understand the necessary safety and urban management measures, political calculations often block their implementation.
He explained, “The official responsible for Land Use and Spatial Planning knows the right actions, but politicians hesitate, thinking, ‘If I enforce this, I might lose votes.’ We need to face the truth—this is the reality.”
