We need consensus building to support flood victims - Council of Ewe Chiefs

The Council of Ewe Chiefs in the Ashanti, Ahafo and Bono Regions, have called for consensus building on how the victims of the Akosombo and Kpong dams spillage could be supported to return to their normal lives.

Togbuiga Mawufeame Fugah, Head of the Council, who made the call, said concerted efforts were needed to alleviate the plight of thousands of people who had been affected by the spillage.

Addressing a press conference in Kumasi, he said the Council was saddened by the unfortunate incident.

“We are deeply saddened by this unfortunate development and wish to express our condolences to the displaced persons,” Togbuiga Mawufeame Fugah, said.

He said the Council was worried about the substantial number of people, especially farmers, who had lost their livelihoods because of the tragedy.

“It is necessary that we ramp up our ‘rescue’ mission due to the magnitude of this disaster,” he appealed.

The provision of the requisite relief items and counselling services to enable the people to deal with the psychological trauma they were going through ought to be intensified, he added.          

The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) estimates that some 26, 000 people in the Volta Region are currently displaced in the wake of the spillage.

Property worth fortunes have also been lost while, the socio-economic lives of the people have also been severely disrupted in communities in the North, South and Central Tongu.

Prior to the incident, the Volta River Authority (VRA), in a statement, said it had warned the catchment communities to move to higher grounds as the authorities were to commence controlled spilling of the Akosombo and Kpong Dams.

A simulation exercise was also conducted for the catchment communities to create awareness of the impending spillage.

This was after the authorities had noticed a rise in the water levels at both the upstream and downstream.

Togbuiga Fugah said the Council would continue to pray for all those affected by the recent disaster.