Ketu South, Keta cry for relief items
The Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, has given the assurance that relief supplies will be distributed to victims of last Saturday’s floods that hit the southern parts of the region.
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“We have constantly been in contact with the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) headquarters in Accra, and we have been reliably informed that the relief items are on their way,” he added.
Climate change
Dr Letsa was speaking to the Daily Graphic on what the government was doing to relieve the plight of those affected in the widespread floods that hit many parts of the Ketu South, Keta and Anlo areas, with many of the areas recording unprecedented levels of flooding.
The regional minister said the current situation in the Ketu South and Keta municipalities was a clear indication that climate change was raging.
“So, we need concerted efforts to protect the environment, refrain from illegal sand winning and land degradation activities,” Dr Letsa cautioned.
The Volta Regional Director of NADMO, Ivy Amewugah, said the distribution of the relief items among the displaced would start this week.
Background
More than 5,000 people in over 100 communities in the Ketu South and Keta municipalities were affected by the floods caused by three weeks of persistent rains.
Although the flood waters have eased significantly, the trend has not brought much relief to the people.
The receding waters have left in their trail some reptiles such as snakes in flooded areas in some of the communities, causing fear and anxiety among the residents.
This is evident in Babanawokope, Ativuta, Sukladzi, Ahorkpoe, Akanu, Akame, Nogokpo and other areas.
The Ketu South Municipal Director of NADMO, Torgbui Alossode II, told the Daily Graphic that efforts were ongoing to seek relief items for the people.
He added that the displaced persons were putting up with friends and family members.
Power supply in the area has been cut off for safety reasons.
Keta
In the neighbouring Keta municipality, evidence of flooding was still present in small quantities at homes, school compounds, community centres, and the Keta market area.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Keta, Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey, waded through the floods at Keta Business College (KETABUSCO) last Tuesday to see the damage at first hand.
At the school, the flood was at knee level, with the kitchen evacuated, while cooking took place in the dining hall.
Other areas still in the deluge as of last Wednesday in the Keta municipality were Tetekorpe, Tettevikorpe, Dzelukope, Abutiakope, Kedzi, and Horvi.
Mr Gakpey said the situation on the KETABUSCO premises was very dangerous because there was a vast sand pit left by the contractors who worked on the female dormitory block, which had remained uncompleted for years.
The MP said NADMO had no resources to attend to the problem and there was no immediate relief in sight.
Mr Gakpe, therefore, appealed to the government, public-spirited individuals and benevolent groups to come to the aid of the flood victims.
Emergency budget
The Keta Municipal Chief Executive, Emmanuel Gemegah, said the assembly, as well as the municipal office of NADMO, had drawn emergency budgets to attend to the displaced with relief items.
He said the police and the Ghana National Fire Service were also on the alert to ensure security.
Mr Gemegah explained that tents could not be erected because the grounds were all very muddy.