The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Volta Region is urgently calling on the government to provide urgent support to 145 health workers impacted by recent floods caused by water spillage from hydroelectric installations.
According to the party’s Regional Communications Officer, Kafui Agbleze, there are 76 displaced health workers in South Tongu, 51 in North Tongu, and 18 in Central Tongu.
Despite their personal challenges, the health workers have been tirelessly providing medical care and support to flood victims, hence the call by the opposition party for urgent government assistance to them. Which should include financial assistance, safe accommodation,Ā and psychological and emotional support services.
In addition the NDC also wants the government to provide immediate assistance to Richard Novati Catholic Hospital, at Sogakope which was submerged by the floods.
In response to the recent flooding from the Akosombo and Kpong dams, the Volta River Authority has initiated a cleanup effort to aid affected communities.
The authority has partnered with Zoomlion Ghana to fumigate and disinfect homes and areas where floodwaters have receded.
According to the VRA,Ā the polluted floodwaters have created a risk of disease outbreak, and with the receding flood levels, families are eager to return to their homes, prompting the need for cleaning and disinfection.
Mr. Divine Fenu, the District Chief Executive of North Tongu, expressed gratitude for the Volta River Authority’s support and mentioned that a team is assessing the structural integrity of affected buildings.
The operation began on October 29, 2023, in Mepe and is set to extend to all affected districts.
Over 36,000 inhabitants across eight districts along the downstream of the Volta River were affected by floods as a result of the spillage of excess water from the Akosombo and Kpong Dams by the VRA. The disaster has disrupted socio-economic activities, with displaced victims being housed in safe havens.
Fredah Prempeh, Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources
BY: NewsDesk | Voltaonlinegh.com |
The Volta Regional branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has responded to recent comments made by Madam Freda Prempeh, Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, vehemently denouncing her statements as insensitive and heartless.
The NDC accused the minister of unfairly blaming flood victims for their dire circumstances following a devastating flood disaster in the Lower Volta basin.
In a press release issued on Wednesday, the party called for an immediate apology from Madam Freda Prempeh while emphasizing the critical need for empathy and governmental accountability in light of this calamity.
The Minister of state had made remarks at an event, suggesting that the victims of the Akosombo and Kpong Dams spillage had disregarded warnings and failed to relocate to safer areas. Her comments have since received substantial criticism from various quarters, including the Mepe Development Association.
The Minister interacting with some children learning under trees
BY: Daniel Orlando | Voltaonlinegh.com |
It has emerged that some 47 basic and second-cycle schools, with about 14,000 pupils and students, were directly impacted by the devastating flooding of the lower Volta, caused by the spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong Dams.
The disaster has also adversely affected overĀ 300 teachers in the Tongu enclaves.
This information came to light on Tuesday during a tour of the flood-ridden areas of North Tongu by the Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Adutwum, and officials from the Ministry and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education.
The Minister interacting with some pupils learning under trees
Local education authorities informed the minister and his entourage that several schools were inundated by the flood. Meanwhile, the safe ones have become temporary abodes for thousands of victims, leading to the suspension of educational activities in the area.
Additionally, several teachers have lost their homes and belongings to the floods, with some of them considering leaving the area, as the local officials told the entourage during a meeting with education stakeholders at Mepe, the epicenter of the disaster.
According to the minister, the visit was to gather essential information and assess the impact of the disaster on education delivery and to develop strategies to restore normalcy.
He assured that the ministry would work closely with other stakeholders to provide temporary learning spaces for school children to continue their academic work.
The Minister, accompanied by his deputy, Rev. John Ntim-Fodjour, later presented 430 bags of rice to be distributed to the victims, especially teachers and pupils.
Meanwhile, officials of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) have donated GHc150,000 to affected teachers during their tour of the area.
Togbe Afede XIV, the Agbogbomefia of Asogli State, has extended support to flood victims in the three Tongu Districts of the Volta Region.
He donated GHC 100,000 to aid the communities affected by the spillage Akosombo and Kpong Dams.
Togbe Afede XIV, made the generous donation, when he led several chiefs and queens from the Asogli State on Saturday, October 21, 2023, to visit the flood-impacted areas in the lower Volta basin.
Togbe Afede (in cowboy hat) touring the flood areas
He expressed admiration for the communities’ resilience in the face of the crisis and emphasised the importance of supporting one another due to their shared ancestry.
The flooding, caused by spillage from the Akosombo and Kpong Dams, had a severe impact on approximately ten districts downstream in the Volta River. It resulted in the displacement of about 26,000 people, with the Tongu Districts being among the most severely affected.
The revered traditional leader criticized the avoidable nature of the flood devastation, attributing it to the dam’s mismanagement. He called for accountability, stressing that those responsible for the damage to livelihoods and properties should be held accountable.
He also commended the efforts of corporate entities and others providing relief and encouraged more organizations to contribute to disaster relief efforts.
The MPs for the three Tongu areas, who recieved the donation, expressed their gratitude for Togbe Afede’s support, acknowledging its significant impact.
Togbe Afede and his entourage
Togbui Kwasinyi Kakaklolo Agyeman IV, Chief of Adidome, said the communities have suffered so much since the construction of the hydroelectric dams and called for the establishment of a proper disaster management fund, underscoring the need for well-structured donations to benefit all affected people. He also urged unity among chiefs during such crises.
The event concluded with a prayer led by Dr. Lawrence Tetteh, a renowned preacher, for Togbe Afede XIV and the affected communities.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ms. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has expressed delight at her admission to the Bar as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Ghana.
The Minister was among more than 1,000 new lawyers added to the roll of lawyers on Friday in Accra.
According to her, she is proud to have achieved her childhood dream, albeit 35 years late.
“I had always wanted to be a lawyer, but I had some diversions along the way, studying marketing communication and Public Administration. But I’m happy that today, I have returned to what I always wanted to do, and I am a proud lawyer at 60 years,” the former NPP MP for Anyaa-Sowutuom told Graphic Online in a video interview.
She added that her legal background has put her in a good position to better understand the principles of her work as a Foreign Affairs Minister.
She also took the opportunity to encourage young people to pursue their dreams regardless of circumstances, saying it’s never too late to acquire an education.
BY: News Desk | Voltaonlinegh.com|
It was a momentous occasion at the Accra International Conference Centre on Friday, October 20, 2023, as approximately 1,092 newly qualified lawyers were called to the Bar, officially becoming Barristers and Solicitors of the Supreme Court of Ghana.
The ceremony, the 60th in its storied history, was graced by dignitaries, including the Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo, members of the diplomatic corps, and both family and acquaintances of the newly sworn-in barristers.
Among those enlisted on the roll of lawyers were notable personalities, including government functionaries, politicians, and media personalities.Ā They include;
Ms. Shirley Ayorkor-Botchwey, Minister for Foreign Affairs
Sammi Awuku, Director General, National Lottery Authority
In a swift response to the devastating impact of the Akosombo and Kpong Hydroelectric Dams’ spillage in the North Tongu District, the First Sky Group broke ground on Thursday, October 19, for a housing project aimed at providing new homes for displaced disaster victims.
The project, to be executed by Construction Ambassadors, a subsidiary of the First Sky Group, will span three locations across the district and is expected to be completed in record time.
In a Facebook post, Mr. Samuel Okudzeto-Ablakwa, MP for North Tongu, shared that local communities are generously providing free land at designated locations and contributing communal labour to support the construction of these housing units.
Mr. Okudzeto-Ablakwa commended the indigenous Ghanaian company,Ā for the significant show of generosity to the residents. He expressed confidence that the project, upon completion, will restore the dignity of a substantial number of the 12,000 displaced constituents.
The building design
The building design
“The new housing will offer improved living conditions and safety, ending the need for 21 schools to serve as safe havens for those affected. This means that the children of North Tongu can finally return to school, resuming their education in a more stable environment,” he emphasized.
Relief Items
Meanwhile, the First Sky Group, under the leadership of Executive Chairman Mr. Eric Seddy Kutortse, donated a truckload of food and other relief items valued at GHc1 million to the disaster victims at Battor, the district capital. The items included 2,000 bottles of cooking oil, 800 bags of rice, sugar, packs of toilet paper, clothes, bags of sachet water, mattresses and bedsheets.
Mr. Kutortse also announced a GHc2.5 million group life insurance cover for victims in the three Tongu districts through First Sky’s subsidiary, Serene Insurance. The insurance will cover victims who may suffer death as a result of the disaster, and a benefit of GHĀ¢5,000 per person will be paid to the dependents of the deceased.
According to him, the First Sky Group was deeply moved by the plight of the victims, and said it is only right for public-spirited individuals and corporate bodies to help alleviate the suffering of the afflicted.
Mr. Kutortse presenting the items to the North Tongu MP
The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, donated GHĀ¢160,000 and quantities of relief items to the 8 districts that have been affected by the spillage of the Akosombo Dam on Wednesday.
Dr. Bawumia made the donation when he toured the affected communities to assess the extent of damage and to empathize with the victims, who had been temporarily sheltered in various safe havens in the district.
The items included bags of rice, gallons of cooking oil, tins of milk and beverages, bags of sachet water, boxes of soap, and mosquito repellent.
The Vice-President stated that the donation was his immediate intervention to alleviate the plight of the victims as the government continued to mobilize resources to improve their situation.
Dr. Bawumia described the flood as the worst disaster to befall the people of the three regions, and he mentioned that he had suspended his political activities in the North to witness the situation firsthand and provide emergency relief items.
He further mentioned that the government and the Volta River Authority are developing long-term plans to control future flooding.
Saji Seji Amedonu, Deputy Director-General of NADMO, said the flood had displaced about 26,000 residents in the 8 districts. He noted that the authority had begun distributing relief items to all displaced residents at the safe havens.
He further mentioned that the Volta Regional Health Directorate had set up mobile health clinics to cater to the health needs of the people.
Over 4,000 residents living around the lower Volta Basin have been forced to abandon their homes due to flooding caused by theĀ spillage excess water from the Akosombo and Kpong Hydroelectric Dams.
Residents in the three Tongu Districts and Anlo of the Volta Region are counting their losses as their homes have been taken over by flood waters. According to the Volta River Authority (VRA), the spillage is due to the consistent rise in the inflow pattern and water level of the Akosombo Dam.
Residents who have lost their properties are currently homeless and seeking shelter at St. Kizito Senior High School at Mepe in the North Tongu district awaiting relief aids.
In the meantime, the Volta River Authority (VRA) has presented clothes, mattresses, blankets, toiletries, food items, among other relief items to National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) officials for onward distribution to the victims of the flooding.
Mr. Kenneth Arthur Mensah, Deputy Chief Executive of VRA in charge of services, handed over the itemsĀ at Battor, the North Tongu District capital after visitng the affected victims in the company of the Volta Regional Minister Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, the Railways Minister John Peter Amewu, the Deputy Director-General of NADMO, Seji Saji, officials from Volta River Authority, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Fire Service, the Ambulance Service, and the Ghana Army, which is providing boats for residents to cross the river.
He said the authority decided to provide the essential relief items in keeping with the VRA’s commitment to alleviate the plight of the communities.
Mr. Arthur said the items were meant to mitigate the difficulties and challenges being faced by the communities that had been adversely impacted as a result of the intensified spillage.
Seji Saji, Deputy Director-General of NADMO, appealed to residents to move to VRA’s designated safe havens as life is precious and sacred.
Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, the Volta Regional Minister, assured affected residents for continuous government support.
