Former president John Dramani Mahama has called on government to take decisive action in responding to massive flooding that has hit three constituencies in the Volta Region.
The situation was triggered by the decision of the Volta River Authority (VRA) to spill excess water from the Akosombo Dam to avert a collapse of the dam, Ghana’s major source of electricity.
In an interview with the media after a visit of the affected areas, Mahama described government’s response as “a bit lackadaisical,” stressing that his visit was to bring the reality to the fore and get government to act fast.
“I think that this visit will let government and whole of Ghana see what is happening, it is not just a story which is being told by people, it is the reality of people’s lives following spillage of the Akosombo Dam.
Asked about possible remedies for the future, he responded: “It happens once in a while not every year, it is an effect of climate change… we have to see how to adapt. I think that the approach has been a bit lackadaisical, actually that is why I came, so that it will let them see that this is real. Sometimes, if you read in the media, you think that this isn’t real.”
Some major observations he reported after a visit involving some Members of Parliament of the affected areas were:
a. GRIDCO substation shut down because it is submerged
b. Hospital with about 400 bodies closed because of lack of power and families asked to come and collect their corpses
c. A technical school with new workshop submerged
d. Three most affected constituencies are North, Central and South Tongu
e. Affected people include medical personnel evacuated from their quarters and now staying at the hospital temporarily
f. Called for support for the victims
g. Quoted VRA as saying the waters won’t get worse but will take time for water to recede
h. The need to expedite relief for people be it at the level of VRA and relevant state agencies
Akosombo Dam Spillage Flooding:
— GHOne TV (@GHOneTV) October 13, 2023
Akufo-Addo government is irresponsible in handling disasters- John Mahama#GHOneNews pic.twitter.com/mMDl8D7jYv
Chief of Staff, 12 ministers form inter-ministerial committee on floods
Government has constituted an inter-ministerial committee to address recent floods triggered by spillage of the Volta and Kpong Dams by the Volta River Authority (VRA).
The spillage has occasioned massive flooding in communities close to the river especially in Mepe and Aveyime.
An October 13 statement from the Ministry of Information said, president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had ordered the setting-up of the team to “coordinate government’s response to the unfortunate flooding of some communities following spilling from the Volta Dam.”
The thirteen-member committee will be headed by Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare.
The other members of the committee include the Minister of National Security, Albert Kan-Dapaah; Minister for the Interior, Ambrose Dery; Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul; Energy Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh; Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta and the Minister of Local Government, Daniel Kwaku Botwe.
Other members are Minister of Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye; Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Attah, Minister for Environment, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie; Minister for Sanitation, Freda Prempeh; Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor and the Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah.
SARA
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