World Vision provides relief items to flood victims

Communities in Northern Ghana that were affected by the recent spillage of water from the Bagre Dam in neighbouring Burkina Faso coupled with the torrential rains have been provided with water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities to prevent the outbreak of water-borne diseases in the area.

The WASH facilities which included 1, 000 pieces of 30 litres water storage containers, 1,000 pieces of 20 litres buckets for water purification, 1,000 pieces of sieving mesh, 2,251 pieces of laundry and bathing cake soaps and 331, 700 pieces of water purifiers were provided by World Vision International Ghana (WVIG).

The gesture from WVIG is in response to a call by the government to support flood victims in Northern parts of the country whose sources of potable water were contaminated by the flood waters posing a health risk and challenges to the people.
Beneficiaries/Statistics

The beneficiary municipalities and districts are Savelugu, Nanton, Karaga and Mamprugu-Moadri in the Northern Region and Bawku East and Garu-Tempane in the Upper East region.

WVIG has also targeted to repair and maintain 250 boreholes in Northern region and 150 in the Upper East region that were destroyed by the flood waters while samples of the contaminated water in the Boreholes have been taken for a laboratory test to ensure its safety for consumption.

Statistics available indicated that a total of 28,000 people from 385 communities were affected while 3,054 houses collapsed and 39,963 acres of farmlands were destroyed in the affected areas of the two regions.

Ceremony

Speaking at the presentation ceremony of the WASH facilities in the Nanton Gurugu community in the Nanton district, the Humanitarian Emergency Affairs and Security Manager, WVIG, Mr. Samuel Gmalu said following the spilled water from the Bagre Dam in addition to the torrential rains some borehole in the affected communities were submerged and the people resorted to drinking from open water sources hence the decision by WVIG to donate the items to ensure that the people have access to clean and safe water.

He said the gesture was also in line with WVIG strategy for contributing to the sustained well-being of 4,555,809 people including children within families and communities, especially the most vulnerable, adding that WVIG would continue to align its strategy and programme through key strategic initiatives and application of the fragile context programming approach.

Mr. Gmalu said WVIG would continue to make the provision of WASH facilities as a priority intervention in its operations in these vulnerable communities and expressed the hope that the gesture would go a long way to ensure clean and safe drinking water for the people.

Appreciation

The Nanton District Coordinating Director, Mr. Wumbei Zakaria on behalf of the beneficiary communities thanked WVIG for the gesture and for coming to the aid of the flood victims to ensure that they have access to good drinking water.

The provision of the WASH facilities was based on the needs assessment report prepared by the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) in the affected districts.

A similar presentation was made to Kpano, another farming community in the Nanton District.