Deputy Minister Tour Flood affected Areas

Mr. Ganyaglo (M) with Madaam Azumah-Mensah inspecting the Kpetoe Bridge

The Deputy Volta Regional Minister, Francis Komla Ganyaglo, in the company officials of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) and the Feeder Roads Department, on visited areas hit by recent flooding in five districts of the region to commiserate with victims and assess the impact of the devastated disaster.

The flooding which was as a result of the overflow of River Todze following heavy downpours submerged farmlands, houses and displaced thousands of persons in the Agortime-Ziope, Akatsi South, Adaklu, South Tongu, and Central Tongu districts.

The Deputy Minister and his entourage first stop was at Kpetoe, capital of Agortime-Ziope district, where he was joined by Member of Parliament, Juliana Azumah Mensah and DCE Michael Adjaho to commiserated with the chiefs and family of the middle aged man who lost his life as a result of the collapse of a building by flood waters.

They also inspected the submerged bridge on the Ho-Aflao road and the flooded maternity ward of the Kpetoe health centre.

The team later moved to the Akatsi south and South Tongu districts where vast track of farmlands and feeder roads were inundated.   

The Deputy Minister also interacted with the Recue team from the NADMO headquarters led by Mr. Daniel Setsofia who ferried stranded victims to safety in one of the hardly hit communities. 

Mr. Setsofia said the devastations caused by the floods were very massive, as properties and farm crops destroyed runs into hundreds of thousands of Ghana cedis.

The Assembly member for Tordzinu, one of the hardly effected communities in the South Tongu District, Madam Christiana Afeku made a passionate appeal to government and benevolent organisations to support the victims who have lost their livelihood through flooding.

She said the flood destroyed crops such as pepper, tomatoes, okro, beans, groundnut and cassava that were ready for harvest as well as some livestock, hence  without external support, the people will be left with huge debts, since they acquired loans to cultivate the crops.

Major roads connecting Waya, the capital of Adaklu district to other communities have also been cut off, rendering access to the only Health centre and Senior High School impossible.

The situation, according to the DCE, Emmanuel Sky Ganaku has brought economic and social activities to a temporary halt.  

Portable Water sources in the affected communities including Kpoviadzi in the Central Tongu district have also polluted by the flood waters.

Mr. Simon Myles Bakar, Volta regional NADMO coordinator attributed the flooding to torrential rains upstream in the Republic of Togo, where River Todze has it source. He however proposed the dredging of the Todze River and other small ones in the affected areas to curb such situations in coming years.

According to NADMO initial assessment figures, a total of 3118 persons and 672 houses were affected by the floods in all five districts, majority of which is in the Agortime-Ziope, 1,920 persons and 305 houses.

Also, a total of 2,510 acres of farmlands were submerged with 21 culverts and 14 feeder roads destroyed.

Responses

Flooded road

Mr. Francis Ganyaglo the Deputy Volta regional Minister, throughout the tour assured the affected victims of government’s support to alleviate their plights, while urging them to move to safer grounds, since rains have not stop yet.

He urged the various assemblies to collaborate with NADMO to ensure the dredging of the rivers in the areas in order to curb future devastations.

Mr. Ganyaglo also admonished to take a cue from this disaster and be circumspect in issuing out work permits, so as to prevent people from building on water ways.

About the Kpetoe Bridge on the Ho-Aflao road, the minister said government is planning to replace the entire bridge which has deteriorated over the years because of the heavy traffic that it carries on daily basis.

Officials of the Feeder Roads Department also assured that the affected roads and culverts will be properly worked on when the rains subside.

Mrs. Juliana Azumah Mensah, MP for Agortime-Ziope promised to construct a new Maternity block from her share of the Common fund at a site acquired for the district hospital while they await the Health Ministry to award the hospital project.

NADMO relief Items

Meanwhile, the National Disaster and Management Organisation (NADMO) have presented relief items to victims in five flood affected districts.

The items include 200 pieces of family relief pack, including mattresses, 100 pieces of washing soap, 600 pieces of blankets, 400 pieces of mosquito nets, and 500 bags of maize and rice.

Mr Kofi Portuphy, National Coordinator of NADMO, said water tankers, water purifiers and poly tanks would be sent to provide good drinking water to the affected communities.

He advised the people to move from the lowland areas as there is the possibility that the rain might continue.

Mrs Helen Ntoso, Volta Regional Minister, also announced that the Regional Coordinating Council would be liaising with Zoomlion, to urgently fumigate the affected communities.

Submerged farmlands