General News of Friday, 29 July 2011

Source: GNA

Eastern Floods: Six killed, 12,571 displaced

Koforidua, July 29, GNA - Dr Kwasi Akyem Apea-Kubi, the Eastern Regional Minister, said on Thursday that so far, a total of six persons had been confirmed dead from the recent floods that hit some parts of the region.

He said a total of 12,571 persons had been displaced whereas an estimated total of 450,000 property were reported lost from the 10 districts that were affected by the severe floods.

The districts are Akyemmansa, Birim South, Birim Central, Kwaebibirem, Fanteakwa, Kwahu West, Kwahu North, Birim North, Atiwa and West Akyem.

He expressed sadness that the rains and the floods had made lives uncomfortable for the flood victims since they were compelled to sleep in tents, compounds of palaces and the rest.

Dr Apea-Kubi encouraged citizens across the nation to go to the aid of the victims as soon as possible so as to make their lives more comfortable.

“I appeal to those who feel touched by the plights of the victims to come to their aid in terms of food and non-food items,” he said. “Road constructors could also help by coming to use their machines to make their roads accessible.

Dr Apea-Kubi, on behalf of President John Evans Atta Mills, presented relief items, through the regional National Disaster management Organization (NADMO) to the ten affected districts.

The items included, rice (1900 bags), maize (1600 bags), cartons of soap (1,270), 5,050 plastic basins, 21,000 bowls, 21,000 plates, 1,100 lanterns, 550 bags of beans, 300 blankets and 300 mats.

He also used the occasion to express commiseration to the victims and families of the deceased persons and disclosed that more relief items were being brought from Accra.

Dr Apea-Kubi entreated Ghanaians to put away the politics of NPP/NDC if they really wanted the country to see development, adding that, it behoved citizens to think about Ghana first before other issues.

“Let us put this NPP/NDC nonsense aside; it is getting too much,” he said.

He charged Mr Ransford Owusu- Boakye, the Eastern Regional NADMO Coordinator, who received the items on behalf of the affected districts, to ensure that he shared them fairly to the victims.

He stressed: “The items are not for NDC or NPP, but for the affected persons. Be fair and share them to Ghanaians and not to party members.”

Mr Owusu- Boakye also assured the Minister that he would share the items fairly to the people who were affected, saying, “We are not going to distribute them based on party lines.”