Two non-governmental organizations, the United Volta Association (UVA) and the National Council of Ghanaian Associations (NCOGA), both based in the United States of America (USA), have jointly donated 600 bags of cement to victims of last year's devastating flooding in the three Tongu districts of the Volta region. This catastrophe was caused by the spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong dams by the Volta River Authority (VRA), displacing many residents and destroying property and farmlands.

The donation aims to assist the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, whose constituency was the hardest hit by the disaster, and his partners, to complete work on an ongoing alternative housing project for the flood victims. Many of these victims are currently living under makeshift tents with their large families.

Torgbi Agbelorm-Agbotokor II, Chief of Salo in the Anlo Traditional Area, also known as Nana Ofei Asamani, the Nkosuohene of the Akwamu Traditional Area and the Ghana representative of the Council of Ewe Associations of North America (CEANA), accompanied by Torgbi Yiador I, Development Chief of Atito in Anlo land and a founding member of the United Volta Association, led a delegation on behalf of Madam Ivy Rose Quarshie and Mr. Fred Dwamena, President of UVA and Executive Secretary General of NCOGA respectively, to the North Tongu Constituency to make the presentation on Sunday, July 7.

On behalf of the donor associations, Torgbi Agbelorm-Agbotokor expressed sympathy to the victims, whose living conditions have not seen any significant improvement.

The CEANA Ghana representative commended Hon. Ablakwa and his partners for their commitment to ensuring that the people of the enclave were provided with decent accommodations to help them overcome the devastating effects of the flooding.

Torgbi Agbelorm-Agbotokor appealed to benevolent organizations, government agencies, and all well-meaning individuals, especially indigenes of the Volta region living in the diaspora, to "lend a helping hand to their brothers and sisters in these challenging times."

He described the plight of the affected residents as pathetic and pledged to liaise with CEANA to see how best to continue assisting the victims.

He personally presented GH₵400 to the residents to enable them to fix a damaged water pumping system, which resulted in an acute water shortage in the area, adding to the people's dwindling plight.

Torgbi Yiador I commended the North Tongu MP for his commitment to improving the living conditions of his constituents in the face of the disaster and urged others to emulate his efforts.

He also called on Voltarians in the diaspora, and all Ghanaians living abroad, to endeavor to lend a helping hand to their fellow countrymen and women who sometimes fall victim to these disasters.

Hon. Ablakwa, in receiving the donation on behalf of the victims, expressed profound appreciation for the gesture and promised that it would be used for its intended purpose: to reduce the accommodation challenges currently bedeviling the people.

Some of the victims took turns expressing gratitude to the donors for remembering them in their time of need. They were particularly grateful to the MP for his unwavering support since the disaster occurred ten months ago.

In October 2023, a controlled spillage of the Akosombo Dam was conducted to prevent overflow, leading to the displacement of residents in low-lying areas.

The most affected communities were in the North and Central Tongu districts, with estimates indicating that over 35,857 people were displaced, and numerous homes and farmlands were destroyed as a result.

The floods had a significant impact on more than 30,000 individuals in the North Tongu district, leaving them in desperate need of assistance from both government agencies and charitable organizations.

Although there have been calls for the government to step in and provide alternative housing units for the affected communities to lessen the burden on the people, little or no attention has been paid to these calls. This raises concerns about the government's commitment to providing relief to citizens in times of disaster, with many also questioning whether residents of the affected communities are not also deserving of a share of the national cake.

With the VRA hinting at another possible spillage of the Akosombo dam in the coming weeks and the victims of last year's spillage yet to be compensated by the government, the residents of the affected communities may have to brace themselves for another impending disaster.