We’ll do everything possible to support flood victims – Akufo-Addo
16th October 2023
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says the government will do everything possible to ensure the needed help reaches victims of flooding in parts of the Eastern, Greater Accra, and Volta regions as a result of the spillage of excess water from the Kpong and Akosombo Dams.
Akufo-Addo gave the assurance when he visited the residents of Mepe and surrounding areas on Monday to ascertain the devastation caused by the spillage.
President Akufo-Addo indicated that the inter-ministerial committee he commissioned to tackle issues pertaining to the flooding is to decide the immediate relief to be provided to the victims and also to ensure such a disaster of greater proportion does not happen in the future.
“The coordination is about the immediate and the most important thing was to ensure the life of people and that is why 9 centres were established for all the displaced people and all the people in these 9 centres have been provided relief items by NADMO, and it is NADMO’s intention to continue to provide relief items. Apart from what NADMO is doing, we must also think about the future.
“I am aware that you are a farming people and the people who are farming on the banks of the rivers and had their crops destroyed, one of the things the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Finance and the Office of the President are going to do is to work together with the district assemblies to decide the exact support we have to give to you when the water has gone away.”
“And this is why I am saying that the Committee is working in several phases, one being to provide immediate relief, and then to prevent such happening in the future and I want you to know the government is going to do everything in its powers to assist to ensure everything is all right.”
“Let everybody know that politics does not come into the issue when things like this occur and government acts. When I took the oath I took it on behalf of everyone in Ghana. And whether they voted for me or not, I’m the president of the people.”
The VRA commenced the controlled water spillage from the Akosombo and Kpong Dams on September 15, 2023, due to a consistent rise in the inflow pattern and water level of the Akosombo reservoir.
Thousands of residents in South Tongu, North Tongu, Central Tongu, Asuogyaman, and several other residents have had their homes submerged due to the spillage.