"I am saddened by the pains I see in the eyes of our mothers." - Bawumia after visiting flood victims
The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has expressed profound sympathy for the victims of the Akosombo Dam spillage, which has displaced numerous households and disrupted livelihoods in the Volta Region, as well as parts of the Eastern and Greater Accra Regions.
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The spillage displaced several communities across eight districts. On Wednesday, September 18, 2022, the Vice President toured some of the affected areas in the Volta Region, including holding centres providing temporary shelter for the victims.
Addressing Chiefs, community members, and some of those evacuated, Dr. Bawumia couldn't help but express his deep sadness at the situation.
"When I look into the eyes of our mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers who are seated here, I see so much sadness and pain. Their lives have been turned upside down by what has happened," Dr. Bawumia said.
"These are people who were going about their normal routines every day, taking care of themselves. Now they have to rely on others for their livelihoods, and that saddens me."
Despite the grim situation, Dr. Bawumia urged the victims to find solace in the Holy Book and to thank God for the gift of life.
"We are told in the Good Book that in all things, we should give thanks to God. Why are we thanking God in this situation? Because He has saved the lives of all those here. So far, we have not heard of any loss of life, and life is more important."
"We thank God for their lives. In many situations, such disasters are accompanied by loss of life, and we thank God that everybody here is safe. With life, we can restore what we have lost."
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The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and other government agencies, through the Inter-Ministerial Committee set up by the government, have swiftly responded to the disaster by evacuating affected people to about 20 holding centers and providing emergency relief items.
Dr. Bawumia assured that the Government is not only committed to providing temporary solutions but is also dedicated to offering relief to restore the livelihoods of those affected.
"I want to assure you that the Government will do everything possible to assist the affected people by providing relief and also restoring their livelihoods."
"We are not only looking at temporary relief, but we are also considering more sustained support through the Inter-Ministerial Committee so that those affected can rebuild their livelihoods."
Flood victims
The Vice President commended NADMO for their proactiveness, which he said helped avert what could have been an even bigger disaster.
"I want to thank NADMO for their proactiveness. Without their foresight, we could have had a major disaster on our hands, especially considering their simulation exercise conducted last year when they didn't even anticipate this event."
"I also want to express gratitude to the army, the navy, VRA, and all stakeholders for their collective efforts so far."
The communities the Vice President visited include New Bakpa in Central Tongu District, as well as Sogakope and Sokpoe, both in South Tongu District.
The Vice President was accompanied by the Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Volta Regional Minister, Archibald Letsa, and officials from NADMO and the VRA.