Kufuor in Tamale to sympathize with disaster victims

Tamale, April 28, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor arrived in Tamale on Saturday to access for himself, extent of damage to property in the Tamale Metropolis caused by a rainstorm that hit the area a week ago. The President is expected to address the Northern Regional Security

Council on Sunday morning, pay courtesy calls on some traditional chiefs in Tamale Metropolis and he would address the disaster victims at the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) hall in Tamale where he would sympathize with them.

Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Northern Regional Minister who briefed the The disaster, which was caused by a severe rainstorm on Saturday April 21, 2007, affected 500 private homes, 46 government bungalows, 25 school buildings and displaced more than 3,500 people. Electricity supply to the Tamale Teaching Hospital was also affected by the storm.

A high-powered government delegation led by Mr. Kan Dappah, Interior Minister had already visited the place and presented relief items worth one billion cedis as an interim assistance to the victims. An initial estimate of the destruction by the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) put the figure at about 33 billion cedis.

Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama also led a three-member government delegation to inspect the disaster areas where he assured the people that government would come in strongly to support them.