UNHCR donates to flood victims

Accra, Nov.27, GNA - The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Tuesday in Accra donated relief items worth 240,000 dollars through the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to victims of the flood disaster in the Northern Regions. The donation came with support from the European Union, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and a strategic partnership with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). The items included 1,400 packs of kitchen sets, 5,000 each of blankets and sleeping mats, 2000 jerry cans, 40,000 pieces of soap and tents.

The UNHCR also made available nine trucks to facilitate the transportation and distribution of the relief items as well as a tripartite letter of understanding which has been signed by NADMO, UNHCR and the Ghana Red cross Society (GRCS) to ensure effective implementation.

Presenting the items, Mrs Aida Haile Mariam, Country Representative of the UNHCR said even though it was not the tradition of UNHCR to respond to natural disasters, her outfit would continue to address issues of displacement caused by increasing climatic changes. She said the initial rapid assessments by the United Nations (UN) established a working figure of 75,000 victims made up of 15,000 in Upper East, 50,000

in the Northern region and 10,000 in the Upper West region. Mrs. Haile Mariam said efforts to respond rapidly to the situation led to the launch of the "Flashy Appeal" programme by the UN and other Non-Governmental Organisations that that were expected to raise 10,000,000 dollars worth of resources for the victims. Mr.Filiberto Ceriani Sebregondi, Head of the European Union Delegation said the European Commission and its humanitarian partners had launched an emergency campaign programme to raise two million Euro and 2.8 million cedis, which would be used to assist flood victims in Ghana, Togo and Burkina Faso.

He said these interventions would help prevent the outbreak of Malaria, Cholera and waterborne diseases in the affected areas. Receiving the items' Nana Obiri Boahene, Minister of State at the Ministry of Interior appealed for more support and assured the donors that the items would be used judiciously to ensure that every single item was accounted for.