The National Safety Campaign(NASACA), (NASACA) – a Safety Advocacy group, has condemned the Buduburam nightmare describing it as a gross negligence of responsibility as the root cause is avoidable.
A devastating explosion at Buduburam (Liberia Camp) claimed three lives and left over thirty-six others injured.
This disaster’s full impact may yet unfold, with the possibility of more fatalities as those severely injured fight for survival.
The looming question on everyone’s mind: Could this catastrophe have been prevented?
The answer is glaringly obvious. This was not a random accident—it was the outcome of a failure to enforce basic safety protocols.
Simple measures such as enforcing safety regulations, conducting proper public consultations, raising awareness, and ensuring evacuation protocols could have drastically reduced the risks.
So why were these steps ignored? Buduburam is no stranger to quarrying activities, and both workers and residents are well aware of the inherent dangers. The risks associated with blasts are common knowledge, yet preventive measures were shamefully overlooked.
This is part of a larger, disturbing pattern in Ghana, where industrial activities and construction projects routinely ignore safety protocols. The result? Communities are continuously exposed to unnecessary hazards.
This latest incident brings to mind the Apiatse dynamite explosion—a horrific disaster that shocked the nation. But if that was labeled an accident, how can we justify this?
A Familiar and Alarming Pattern
Sadly, this isn’t an isolated case. Our history is littered with tragedies caused by negligence:
– In Ablekuma, Accra, a parent lost a child due to negligence at a construction site.
– Quarry blasts in Nsawam-Adoagyiri destroyed homes, with tremors felt as far as Accra.
– Communities along the Kasoa-Winneba road have long voiced concerns over the dangers posed by construction and quarrying in their area.
– At Nsawam hospital junction, a brake failure involving a trailer resulted in multiple deaths and injuries.
– Numerous other incidents—road accidents, food poisoning, building collapses, birth defects, and the infamous June 3rd flood and fire disaster—continue to scar the nation.
Flooding and related disasters persist, turning every rainy season into a nightmare for vulnerable communities.
A Call for Change
With so many preventable tragedies, the question remains: Are we learning anything, or are we simply offering hollow condolences and moving on, accepting these losses as a grim reality?
NASACA is once again sounding the alarm.
This explosion at Buduburam is a tragic reminder of the risks contractors and businesses impose on communities in their reckless pursuit of profit. The disregard for safety standards cannot continue. Without prioritizing safety, there is no true progress—only disaster.
We extend our deepest sympathies to the families of those lost and hope for the swift recovery of the injured.
NASACA’s message is clear: The safety of a people is their health, their wealth, and their future. It is time for all—citizens, businesses, and the government—to put safety first, not just in words, but in decisive action.
Linda Yeboah/ahotoronline.com
