Kologo (U/E), June 3, GNA - Flood victims in the Upper East Region have appealed to the Canadian government to support them with farm inputs.

They said due to the devastating floods that hit the area last year many of them lost their crops and this had brought about untold hardships and that if there was no external support, the people would continue to face difficulties. Mr. Akwara Asobayiri, an elder in the Kologo Traditional Area in the Kassena Nankana District, made the appeal on behalf of the victims at the weekend when the Canadian High Commissioner in Ghana, Mr. Darren Schemmer, visited the community to assess the extent of damage caused by the floods.

Mr. Schemmer was also in the region to inspect development projects funded by the Canadian government and to see what form of extra assistance his government could offer to the people who were affected by the floods.

He visited Kologo-Niyiri and Ayabisi communities in the district that were badly affected by the floods. Mr. Asobayiri said if farmers in the area had support to purchase farm inputs the people could overcome poverty and would be able to sustain themselves in the subsequent years. He commended the High Commissioner, the Canadian government and the Northern Ghana Aid (NOGAID), a Tamale NGO, for the enormous support to the area, particularly the supply of relief items during the period of the floods.

Mr. Schemmer expressed gratitude that Canada's assistance through NOGAID had helped to resettle the people and gave the assurance that his government would continue to give support. Mr. Mustapha Sanah, Executive Director of NOGAID, said his outfit had been championing the development aspirations of the under-developed in the north and gave the assurance that NOGAID would continue to collaborate with donors for funding to support the needy. Mr. Emmanuel Chegeweh, the Kassena Nankana District Chief Executive, commended the Canadian government for its assistance in the areas of water and infrastructure development.