In response to the recent dam spillage at the Akosombo and Kpong dams, which resulted in the displacement of over 31,000 individuals, the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta has presented GHC2 million to support the relief efforts for the affected flood victims.
The Finance Ministry also donated an additional GHC50,000 towards the same cause.
Speaking during a visit to Mepe in the Volta Region, Ofori-Atta assured the displaced persons that the upcoming budget presentation, scheduled for November, will address their needs and contain adequate relief measures.
He acknowledged the challenges of returning to homes due to health issues and expressed the importance of providing alternative solutions to aid in the quick reconstruction process.
The overflow of the Akosombo and Kpong dams has caused significant damage to crops, forced the closure of schools, and brought the local economy to a standstill in Mepe – the epicenter of the flood – as well as parts of the Eastern and Greater Accra regions.
In collaboration with the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), the Volta River Authority (VRA), which operates the dams, has already taken several steps to provide immediate assistance.
This includes the provision of mobile toilets and mobile clinics for medical treatment in affected areas.
The VRA has also supplied relief items such as canned food, rice, sugar, toiletries, boats, and hot meals to the flood victims.
In addition, the VRA is working to restore the water supply system in the Aveyime community.
To alleviate the pressure on existing toilet facilities in the safe havens, the VRA has provided additional mobile toilets to Mepe and Adidome. These toilets are equipped with biodegrading units to prevent cross-contamination.
The VRA announced its intention to make more toilet facilities available to the affected communities across the lower Volta Basin.
Relief efforts have ignited a call from the Minority in Parliament for immediate action from the government. They are urging the government to temporarily relocate the flood victims to the Saglemi housing project, which is currently vacant.
President Nana Akufo-Addo has established a committee to oversee the ongoing rescue efforts, as Ghana’s meteorological service has forecasted more rainfall this year.
The country has been experiencing a rise in the frequency and unpredictability of weather events, which experts attribute to climate change.
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