Chief of Staff and Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, has disclosed the government is actively pursuing international support from the World Bank and international climate-related resources to aid communities affected by the Akosombo Dam spillage.
She made these disclosures during a media briefing on Wednesday, providing updates on the ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts.
The Inter-Ministerial Committee, established by the President, is dedicated to overseeing effective and timely relief and rehabilitation efforts in areas impacted by the Akosombo Dam spillage and heavy rainfall in various regions.
Frema Opare highlighted the Committee’s commitment to engaging all relevant stakeholders continuously to manage the flood’s impact and streamline programs for livelihood restoration.
In the 2024 Budget presentation to Parliament, Finance Minister Hon. Ken Ofori Atta revealed that an additional GH¢220 million had been budgeted to support affected communities downstream and upstream in the Oti, Savannah, and Bono-East Regions.
The Chief of Staff assured that, for the restoration phase, the government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, would allocate additional resources to support the rebuilding of livelihoods.
“Key stakeholders from ministries such as Education, Roads, Health, Sanitation, and Water Resources have collected and analyzed data from affected communities,” stated stated.
“The government has made GH¢40,000,000 available for relief efforts between the Volta River Authority (VRA) and the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO).”
Highlighting the collaborative effort of the Inter-Ministerial Committee with various agencies, including VRA, NADMO, Environmental Protection Agency, Water Resources Commission, Ghana Hydrological Authority, Ghana Health Service, and Ghana Education Service, Frema Osei-Opare underscored the continuous engagement with all relevant stakeholders.