President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has commended individuals, groups, and corporate Ghana for their efforts in extending relief to flooded communities due to the Akosombo Dam excess water spillage.
Many private companies, individuals and state institutions joined efforts to provide relief to communities downstream affected by the unprecedented flooding resulting in loss of property and investment, bringing untold hardships to the people, especially in the Tongu districts, the hardest hit.
The President, addressing the 61st Hogbetsotsoza (the traditional festival of the chiefs and people of Anlo) at Anloga, described the collaborative efforts as the “best of the Ghanaian spirit on display.”
Engineers, health practitioners, civil society, businesses, the military and journalists among others helped to contain the impact of the disaster on the people.
“The inter-Ministerial Committee, which I formed …, the Health Service, the Military and the Police have all been working together to resolve the crisis,” President Akufo-Addo said.
“I know that we do not often think of the possibility of the structures of government working together but we should.”
“I pay homage to the many private sector and ordinary citizens, who made donations and offers of help in various ways”.
While the majority of journalists reported on the flooding situation to give it prominence, a few did not scrutinise their facts, which led to misinforming, he said.
One of such was about an outbreak of bilharzia, which took the Health Service to debunk.
The President, therefore, admonished journalists to uphold the principles of their profession to better serve the society.
He commended the Queenmother of Mepe in North Tongu, Mamaga Adzo Srako IV, for bravely defending his “innocent comments” during his visit to the area.
This year’s festival, was on the theme: “Climate Change, a Challenge to Lands below Sea Level, a Concern of the Anlo State and the Stakeholders”.
It recognised the efforts of some engineers and citizens of Anlo including the three municipal and district chief executives along the Anlo coast in draining the over flooded Keta Lagoon into the sea by opening the sandbar separating the lagoon and the sea.
GNA