Inter NGO consortium donates relief items to flood victims

Tamale, Oct. 31, GNA- The Inter NGO Consortium in the Northern Region on Wednesday donated some food relief items valued over 157 million cedis to victims of the recent floods that hit the "overseas areas" of the West Mamprusi and West Gonja Districts. The items were made up of 400 maxi bags of maize and 40 bags of beans and a number of bags of iodated salt.

The Inter NGO Consortium that made the donation possible includes: Action Aid International, Ghana, Assemblies of God and Relief and Development Services, Ghana and World Vision International, Ghana. Mr. Yakubu Mohammed Saani, Programmes Officer of Action Aid, Ghana presented the relief items to Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Northern Regional Minister on behalf of the NGO consortium.

He said prior to the floods and as a result of the earlier drought faced by the region the consortium had already being discussing on how it could provide assistance to mitigate the sufferings of the people. He said this was in recognition of the fact that the livelihoods of majority of the people in the region depended on farming and such a long drought was going to have telling effects on them.

Mr. Saani said it was while these discussions were on going that the floods also followed and hence the consortium and their development partners contribution. He assured the Minister that the consortium would continue to intervene and provide assistance both in the short, medium and long terms to assist the people.

Alhaji Idris thanked the consortium for their donation, particularly the iodated salt and assured them that the Regional Coordinating Council had put in place measures to ensure that the relief items meant for the people were not diverted.