Government has launched a robust rescue and restoration strategy aimed at mitigating threats to lives and property in communities along the lower Volta Basin, particularly in the Tongu and Anlo Districts.
The strategy is in response to the unprecedented spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong Dams on September 15, 2023.
The spillage, last witnessed in 2010, occurred due to excess water in both dam reservoirs.
Director General of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Mr. Eric Nana Agyemang Prempeh, highlighted the core objectives of the comprehensive plan.
“Our primary goal is to safeguard lives and property during this necessary operation. We are diligently executing our mission to bring all affected persons to safety,” he stated.
The three-phase plan includes the evacuation of affected individuals to safety, provision of relief items to ease their transition, and initiation of measures to restore the affected communities to operational capacity.
Dedicated rescue officers are employing canoes and boats to transport individuals from the affected districts to safer grounds, simultaneously providing essential supplies such as mattresses, blankets, food, clothing, and toiletries.
Mr. Prempeh, along with Deputy Director-General of NADMO, Mr. Seji Saji, a team from the Ghana Armed Forces led by Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Issah Yakubu and accompanied by the CEO of VRA, Mr. Emmanuel Antwi-Darkwa, and his deputies, along with DCEs for the affected areas inspected the affected areas.
They visited rescue centers in Mepa in the North Tongu District and Akpa in the Central Tongu District, where approximately 6,000 affected victims are being hosted.
Meanwhile President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo also established an inter-ministerial committee, led by Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, to coordinate the government’s response.
Speaking on the government’s commitment, Chief of Staff Osei-Opare stated, “We are dedicated to restoring lives and rehabilitating the impacted communities to normalcy. The President and the Committee will personally visit the impacted areas to provide practical assistance and bring solace and hope to the affected individuals during these challenging times.”
“It is imperative that we refrain from politicizing such challenges and instead intensify collaborative efforts to divert our focus from divisive narratives towards a unified purpose,” she reiterated.
In addition to ongoing rescue operations, the government has worked diligently to restore essential services.
Access to electricity has been reinstated in some areas, and healthcare services have resumed, showcasing the government’s dedication to preserving lives and livelihoods across the nation.
Amidst the challenges, the government emphasizes the importance of unified efforts to bolster community resilience against disasters.