Floods cause havoc in Northern Region

Following continuous rains in the Northern Region recently, most communities have been cut off because roads in those areas have become impassable.

The flood situation has also led to the collapse of bridges, destruction of properties, farmlands and foodstuffs, while residents are unable to access health care and other social services elsewhere.

Officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) have expressed concerns that if the rains persist, coupled with the spillage effects of the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso, it could further cause destructions and push the region into a humanitarian crisis.

Affected communities

The hardest-hit communities in the Central Gonja District are Chama, Tuluwe, Adape, Agege, Bosopko Yaallah, Kpangese, Shodupe, Kolofo and No.6 where some bridges and roads linking the area to the district capital, Buipe, and other commercial towns have collapsed.

The Assembly Member for the Chama Electoral Area, Mr Dramani Bawa Eliasu, in an interview, said a pregnant woman recently lost her baby on her way to Kawsugu from Tuluwe due to the bad roads. He has, therefore, appealed for humanitarian assistance to lessen the plight of the people in the affected communities.

Some towns and communities in the eastern part of the region have also been affected by the floods. For instance, portions of the Eastern Corridor road from Bimbilla to Yendi have turned into death traps. Other affected areas are the Chereponi, Tatale-Sangule and Saboba districts.

In the Saboba District, the main bridge linking the capital to Yendi and Tamale has collapsed, forcing residents to use canoes to cross the Kpaba Bridge. Ongoing construction works from Saboba to Yendi have also stalled.

Assessment

The Northern Regional Minister, Mr Salifu Saeed, last Thursday led a team of NADMO officials to visit some of the affected communities along the White Volta to assess the degree of damage and also solicit support for the victims.

He appealed to charitable organisations and philanthropists to complement efforts by the government to assuage the challenges faced by the victims.