Declare state of emergency in flooded areas – Assemblies of God Church

Assemblies of God, Ghana has called for a permanent solution to the impact of flooding of communities anytime there is a spillage of the country's dams.

The church said to be able to achieve that there was the need for workable engineering solutions to be sought, intensification of public education on disaster prevention and effective sanctions against perpetrators of environmental degradation.

Although the church also backed calls for the declaration of a state of emergency, it stressed that those solutions were required “if we decide, as a nation, to be serious in finding long-term answers to the flooding and other nagging environmental questions.”

Addressing the press at the church’s head office in Accra yesterday, the General Superintendent of the church, Rev. Dr Stephen Wengam, further called for the necessary legislative and humanitarian weight on current measures being undertaken to bring the depressing situation under control.

“In addition to prayers, rigid application of science and technology should play a frontal role in dealing with the risks to human lives and property in the flood-prone areas.

“We believe finding a permanent solution to the impact of flood waters, any time there’s a spillage of water from any of the dams in Ghana will be most welcome” Rev. Dr Wengam stressed.

Although the press conference was to brief the media on the outcome of the just-ended World Congress of the Assemblies of God World Fellowship in Madrid, Spain, the church used the occasion to also comment on the heart-breaking scenes in the flood-hit areas.

The A-G Ghana General Superintendent announced the church's intention to donate GH¢20,000 and other relief items to help alleviate the plight of the victims.

Impact

At least, 26,000 people have been displaced along the lower Volta Basin as of the last count on Monday, October 16, 2023, as officials continue to take stock of the extent of havoc and devastation caused by the spillage of the two dams.

“This catastrophe of unprecedented proportions calls for a response of unparallelled urgency,” Rev Dr Wengam stated.

The General Superintendent explained that “specifically, we are witnessing a flooding disaster on an epic scale with devastating consequences in parts of the Volta, Eastern and Greater Accra regions as a result of the spillage of huge volumes of water from the Akosombo and Kpong dams. 

Support

The General Superintendent said the “stark reality is that government and government agencies alone cannot shoulder the huge burden of bringing the requisite relief and hope to the hopeless victims of the untold disaster.

“This is the time, therefore, for Ghanaians of all social backgrounds, financial standing, political affiliations and ethnic extractions to rally to the aid of the suffering fathers, mothers and children,” he stated.

He also urged corporate Ghana and other benevolent bodies to also identify themselves with the humanitarian efforts while counsellors and psychologists do their bit.