US commits additional resources to alleviate plight of flood victims
The United States (US) has provided an additional $500,000 towards the recovery of the victims of the floods induced by the dam spillage, which hit the Tongu areas and other parts of the Volta Region last year.
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Three months ago, the US provided $100,000 to facilitate the recovery of the flood victims and support the welfare of the people.
Further, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) worked with the World Food Programme (WFP) and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to set up temporary shelters, offer water, sanitation, and hygiene service to the afflicted, in addition to cash donations to 700 families.
The US Ambassador, Virginia Palmer, disclosed these during a solidarity visit last Thursday to the Agbetikpo camp in the North Tongu District, which still holds about 800 displaced people.
“The support, this time, is focused specifically to help start a return to normalcy and for students to continue to learn,” she said.
The envoy said the gesture, which included tents, books and essential school supplies and stationery, was meant to restore teaching and learning to appreciable heights in the affected communities.
Meanwhile, Ms Palmer said, USAID and UNICEF were also collaborating to restore teaching and learning in the affected communities to ensure that the children were not left behind in terms of education.
She observed that the US was Ghana’s largest bilateral development partner, and that the combined bilateral development support, including support from USAID to Ghana last year, amounted to more than $250 million dedicated to promoting education, health, economic growth, agriculture, governance and security for all Ghanaians.
Minister of Education
The envoy’s visit coincided with an earlier one by the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum.
Dr Adutwum said it was gratifying that the teachers and children in most of the affected communities had returned to the classroom with great zeal and enthusiasm, and that testified to their resilience to the flood situation.
He said the determination to study was evident on the faces of the children and urged parents and other adults to support the children in various ways to continue their studies smoothly.
“If your child is still at home, see the District Chief Executive to discuss the problem with him for the child to return to school as soon as possible, because the future will be better if you invest in the education of your children,” he added.
The MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said the people were united in grief as they looked into the future with hope.
The District Chief Executive, Osborne Fenu, said although the floods were over, some challenges persisted and needed to be addressed.
He mentioned inadequate resettlement houses for those who lost their homes to the floods, the lack of potable water, sanitation facilities and roads in some of the communities damaged school buildings, the need for learning materials, and public health issues which required immediate attention.
Also present at the durbar of chiefs and queenmothers, held in honour of the US Ambassador, were officials of the World Food Programme, UNICEF, and NADMO.