Deputy Majority leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has challenged members of the Volta Caucus to look for permanent solutions for the tidal wave incidents in the Region by helping to stop sand weaning activities along the beaches.
According to him, the Volta MPs have never talked about this degrading human activity on the Keta beach that has been cited as the cause for the frequent tidal waves.
He accused members from the Region, especially those from the affected constituencies of attempting to score cheap political points with their demands on the government.
Speaking to the media in Parliament on Friday, the Deputy Majority Leader observed that while the activities of sand weaners have been established as a major factor in the frequent tidal waves, politicians from the area have conveniently ignored this and failed to make even one single statement on it.
He averred that as much as the government is making efforts to provide relief items, these are just temporary solution after the disaster has occurred, and questioned what steps the affected MPs have taken to halt the activities of sand weaners on the affected beaches.
He disclosed there are tons of records with accompanying pictures on the internet that show people engaged in brisk sand weaning along some of the beaches in Keta.
According to him, some of the individuals told the NGO that carried out the research they will wean sand from the beaches because that is the only job they have.
He said, “If you have an individual making such a remark that they don’t have gold, they don’t have fish and so they are going to wean the sand and yet the Volta Caucus will keep quiet and attempt to make these partisan comments… It is unfortunate.”
“For the MPs in that area to appear silent on these comments and pretend to be blind on the daily sand weaning activities is making the situation worse.
“They are not interested as Members of Parliament in seeing that the human activities in the area are limited because it is obvious that all the things that are happening are affecting the people and making the situation worse.”
“The MPs from the Volta Region should tell us what steps they intend to take to stop the sand weaning activities,” he added.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin stressed that government intervention is assured and indicated the NPP administration takes the Keta situation serious and will support the people.
In a sharp rebuttal, MP for Ellembele, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah argued sand weaning is a major problem along the entire coast of the country and not just in the Volta Region.
He expressed displeasure the Deputy Majority leader will choose to spew propaganda instead of speaking on the present crises and the suffering of the affected households and communities in Keta.
He said, “We are dealing with the immediate crises, just imagine waking up one morning and everything you worked for in your whole life is gone and the government that is supposed to be responsible and come to our aid has not shown up.”
“This is not only in the Volta Region, but seaweed has also taken over the coast of the western part of the country leaving fishermen helpless and yet no government official has shown up there,” he said.
He stressed the lack of resources for NADMO to provide support to these affected areas should be at the heart of the debate and not propaganda to paint the Volta in a bad light.
Source: Mypublisher24.com/Osumanu Al-Hassan