Ambassador Bawuah-Edusei calls for all to show solidarity towards Ghana

Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Kwame Bawuah-Edusei has called on all Ghanaians and friends of Ghana to show solidarity and to contribute generously to the Flood Relief Fund that has been set up by the Embassy of Ghana in Washington D.C in support of Government efforts.

Speaking at a Town Hall meeting held last Saturday at the Embassy’s Chancery, Dr. Bawuah-Edusei expressed the Government’s appreciation to both the International and Local Organizations for their immense assistance.

Recently, Ghana experienced heavy and persistent rains in the three Northern Regions and part of Western and Volta Regions, causing massive flooding in those regions.

The floods led to loss of lives, famine and outbreak of diseases not to mention destruction of educational and health facilities.

The well attended Town Hall Meeting had in attendance the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Akwasi Osie-Adjei, Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Hon. Baah-Wiredu, other Ministers of State, a cross section of Ghanaians and diasporans.

Following is the full text of Dr. Bawuah-Edusei’s remarks!

REMARKS BY H.E. DR. KWAME BAWUAH-EDUSEI, AT A TOWN HALL MEETING ON SATURDAY, 20TH OCTOBER, 2007

Honourable Ministers Honourable Deputy Ministers, Governor of Bank of Ghana, Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Welcome to Ghana - Akwaaba. I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep appreciation to each and everyone of you for coming to our second Town Hall Meeting for the year. I also want to especially thank Honourable Ministers of Finance and Foreign Affairs, Minister of State, Ministry of Finance and Deputy Minister Responsible for Social Development of the Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment, who are all in Washington primarily for the World Bank/IMF Meeting and issues in the Cocoa Industry, but have been gracious to visit the U.S. Ghanaian community at this Town Hall Meeting.

Let me repeat and make it abundantly clear that the Honourable Ministers were invited by the World Bank for a Conference and the Town Hall Meeting happens to be an opportunity to interact with Ghanaians and friends of Ghana.

When I presented my Credentials in September last year, I had a wonderful opportunity of meeting the Ghanaian community during which I made some pledges. I am delighted and proud to announce that with the full support of the Ghanaian community, this Embassy under my leadership have been able to fulfill all those pledges. We had

? The best Independence celebration on record; ? Graduation ceremony for our children – the first of its kind; ? We have visited all the major metropolis; ? We have formed the Ghana Business Council, among others.

We could not have done it without you, and the Embassy is deeply grateful to the Ghanaian community and friends of Ghana.

Dear friends and compatriots, in August and early September this year, Ghana experienced heavy and persistent rains in the three northern regions and parts of Western and Volta Regions, which caused massive flooding in those regions. As many of you are no doubt aware, the floods led to loss of lives and dislocation of over 332,548 persons spread across the various regions. The widespread human, material and environmental losses continue to pose immense challenges for Government.

By way of infrastructure, a total of 131 trunk and feeder roads with a total length of 1,510 km were rendered impassable, washed away or badly damaged. Numerous bridges and culverts in the affected areas including the Kulungungu Bridge linking Bawku to Burkina Faso and the Bawku-Garu bridge were destroyed.

As can be expected, the floods took their toll on socio-economic activities of populations in those areas. Over 70,526 hectares of cultivated land and a substantial number of livestock were lost.

Major problems relating to health and sanitation and access to clean drinking water have also been a matter of great concern to Government. Education in the affected regions has been disrupted as a result of the floods.

In the face of this disaster, the Government set up an Inter-Ministerial Task Force Ghana to serve as a focal point to ensure a holistic and coordinated approach to the management of the disaster. Government approved an amount of C61 billion for the acquisition of emergency relief items. With the assistance of NADMO, the Task Force is engaged in the activities aimed at alleviating the plight of the flood victims.

Government has welcomed assistance from its development partners both local and international in the management of the disaster, and these have included governments, the private sector, the United Nations and other inter-governmental and non-governmental agencies.

It is in this vein that I urge you all to show solidarity with our less fortunate brothers and sisters and contribute generously to the Flood Relief Fund that is being set up by the Embassy in support of Government efforts.

I thank you for your attention and hereby, declare the Flood Relief fund duly launched.