President Akufo-Addo addressing residents of Mepe
President Akufo-Addo, has extended the sympathies of the government to the people worst affected by the flooding occasioned by the spillage of the Akosombo Dam.
In less than 24 hours after arriving from an official visit to the United States of America, President Akufo-Addo visited Mepe, in the North Tongu Constituency, which has been the hardest hit of all the communities affected by the flooding.
A total of 26,000 people, per the estimates of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), have been affected by the spillage in the Central Tongu, South Tongu, Ada West, Keta, Anlo, Shai Osudoku and Asuogyaman districts.
Mepe, alone, according to the Deputy Director General of NADMO, Seji Saji, has 6,000 residents displaced, leading NADMO to establish nine (9) safe havens for residents where they are receiving relief items.
The President, in commiserating with the Mankralo of Mepe, Torgbe Korsi Nego VI, and the people of Mepe, noted that, in dealing with the tragedy, his first preoccupation was to help protect lives of residents.
It is for this reason, he explained, that nine safe havens have been established in Mepe, with NADMO ensuring that all affected persons received relief items.
“It is NADMO’s intention to continue to provide relief items,” he assured.
With the majority of residents of Mepe engaged in farming, President Akufo-Addo indicated that “we will work with the Finance Minister to work out what kind of support can be given to residents to enable them resume their occupations, once the flood waters recede.”
He continued, “Government is going to do everything in its power to assist residents and those affected by the flooding so as to bring a sense of normalcy to them.”
Cautioning against the politicisation of this tragedy, President Akufo-Addo urged residents to shame persons who seek to make political capital out of the tragedy, and who seek to divide them along party lines.
He noted that he took the oath of office as President of the Republic “for every single individual in Ghana, for all peoples, and for all districts. Whether they voted for me or not I am the president, and I am responsible for everyone.”
The President told the chiefs and people of Mepe that his visit and the assistance offered to them, thus far, is because they are Ghanaians who find themselves in some degree of difficulty as a result of a disaster.
“It is my responsibility to try and help, because if it is a question of who voted for me or not, then I shouldn’t be here because you (residents of Mepe) don’t vote for me or my party. But political affiliations are not my concern. My concern is the welfare and well-being of all Ghanaian people, irrespective of tribe, religion, ethnicity or religious affiliations,” he added.
President Akufo-Addo used the opportunity, also, to applaud the Volta River Authority (VRA) for the series of sensitisation exercises it undertook since May this year, which has prevented loss of life.
He assured the chiefs and people of Mepe that he will be back again to see for himself the progress that has been made in bringing lasting relief to them.
On his part, the Mankralo of Mepe thanked the President for coming to see for himself the devastation caused by the spillage of the dam, and for directing the appropriate state agencies to help bring relief to them.
President Akufo-Addo, before leaving visited the sick bay, which is treating persons who have been taken ill as a result of the disaster, and also visited the banks of the river, seeing for himself the extent of damage caused by the flood waters.