Lawyer for June 3 disaster victims, Samson Lardy Anyenini has justified the GHS42m compensation demand by the affected individuals.

0

Speaking on Channel One TV on Wednesday, June 5, he noted that some of the survivors of the incident "have been left with permanent disfigurement to their faces, arms, legs, and stomachs, Some of them have become invalid, they cannot do anything".

1

According to him, the majority have used their life savings, while others are depending on support from families and friends to seek medical care after a decade.

2

“We’re in the court because the victims, the 2015 committee report identified 154 dead and 154 victims who have suffered injuries in various degrees. When we began a process to get some help for them, we hit a snag. Because the state was not forthcoming. After it had paid their medical bills, and also paid for the funeral arrangements of the 154.

3

He added, “The fact is that there were more than 154 who died, and there were in excess of 200 who died. After the state paid for their treatment, seven of them have come to testify, as we speak, some of them still attend hospitals and pay medical bills. They have literally used their life savings and are depending on support from families and friends, because they lost their businesses as well,” he added.

4

In 2018, a class-action suit was filed by Samson Lardy Anyenini, on behalf of the victims to seek compensation for the affected families.

5

It has been seven years, and the court is yet to rule on the case, however, Mr Anyenini remains optimistic about a favourable court ruling.

6

Over 150 individuals were caught in the fire during a downpour that had caused flooding, claiming the lives of many and leaving scores severely injured during the torrential rains in Accra in 2015.

7

The floods were attributed to blockages in Accra’s main storm drains, resulting from the non-desilting of the drains, including buildings and structures by squatters that had blocked waterways.

8

Some of the victims had sought shelter at the GOIL filling station near Kwame Nkrumah Circle, but got trapped in an inferno after leaking fuel sparked a devastating explosion after getting into contact with an inflammable substance.

9

In response to the unfortunate incident, then-president, John Mahama, authorised a GH₵ 60 million ($14.5 million) recovery fund to aid the victims and declared a 3-day mourning for the deceased.

10

Also, One Ghana Movement, led by Senyo Hosi, has filed legal action against GOIL, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), holding them accountable for their alleged roles in the unfortunate incident.

11

Meanwhile, the victims continue to relive the horrors of that fateful night that changed their lives forever. They have urged the government to come to their aid.

12