Worlasi jabs Freda Prempeh for blaming Akosombo Dam spillage victims

Ghanaian rapper and singer-songwriter, Worlasi, has reacted to comments by the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Freda Prempeh, regarding the recent Akosombo dam spillage and its effects.

Freda Prempeh, while discussing the flood situation, suggested that the flood victims in the area had ignored warnings from the Volta River Authority (VRA) and other state agencies and chose not to relocate.

“We don’t want what has happened in Akosombo to happen to us in Accra. The Akosombo spillage, even though VRA, NADMO, and the Water Resource Commission came together to educate the people in the community, did a simulation exercise at Mepe, yet they refused to leave, they didn’t want to be evacuated, they stayed there till the end when we started spilling," she stated.

Her comments, however, did not go well with netizens who criticized the minister's stance and accused her of being insensitive to the plight of those affected.

Worlasi, in a post on his social media handle, expressed his thoughts on the minister's statement. He accused the minister of being disrespectful to the victims of the flooding and of not valuing her privilege as a minister of state.

“Honorable, We understand you have a vision but we can’t seem to see the direction of it. Maybe if you showed a little respect to the sufferings instead pointing fingers at them for a NATURAL DISASTER, you could.

"I think some people are just born with it: with not valuing others so it comes across as if they can’t See properly what is happening. They are certain things you just can’t fix I guess," he posted.

He further appealed to her to apologize to the people as they were not privileged enough to move on such short notice.

“I hope you find a way to apologize to the same people you swore to protect knowing very well they are not wealthy or resourceful enough to move in a short notice. You of all people should know it is very very hard to move things they way and the time you want," he added.

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This stems from the spillage at the Akosombo and Kpong hydro dams, which commenced on September 15 due to rising water levels. The subsequent flooding has caused significant losses to homes and farms along the Lower Volta Basin.

Currently, nine districts in the Volta Region face the consequences of this flooding, and residents are grappling with a humanitarian crisis. Communities like Battor, Tefle, Mepe, Sogakope, Adidome, and Anlo have seen their lives and properties submerged by the rising waters.

Many residents have had to self-evacuate, while the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) and other agencies are actively participating in rescue operations. Various institutions and individuals have been contributing relief items to help the affected residents.

In response to the crisis, Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia has emphasized the need to rethink and possibly re-engineer the Akosombo Dam to better manage spillage and mitigate its adverse effects on communities and livelihoods. This measure is considered crucial given the challenges posed by climate change.

check out the tweets below

I had a dream last night where a friend of mine called Allu killed me then I woke up to this news.

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Honorable, We understand you have a vision but we can’t seem to see the direction of it. Maybe if you showed a little respect to the sufferings instead pointing fingers at them… https://t.co/00HwJnIiFm pic.twitter.com/P0gCw1dpvw

— the.RAP.y (@worlasigh) October 24, 2023