Members of Parliament from both sides of the House have appealed to the government to set up a special fund to support victims of quarry explosion at Peabo in the Nsawam/Adoagyiri which happened on December 23, 2015.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Dr Anthony Akoto Osei said the government must treat as urgent the need to create that special fund from the Consolidated Fund to support those victims who have suffered great losses as a result of the explosion.
The appeal by the MPs followed another request by NPP MP for Nsawam/Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh in parliament last Friday for the government to take a critical look at the predicaments of the victims most of whom have become destitutes.
Mr Annoh-Dompreh said the blast affected people not only in his constituency but people in Asamankese in Lower West Akim constituency and Kasoa in Awutu Senya East constituency.
He disclosed that three people lost their lives in the incident while property running into GH¢500,000 were destroyed.
He said about 2,000 people were affected by the explosion with 500 people completely displaced because of the complete destruction of their property.
He pointed out that he has personally been supporting the victims, taking care of their bills and other things, which is having a drain on his resources.
According to the Nsawam/Adoagyiri MP, he had officially made a request to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the Ministry of Interior and a committee was set up to look into the matter but nothing has been done since.
He has therefore appealed to the new Minister for Interior, Mr Ambrose Dery to look into the matter and act swiftly to deal with whatever recommendations have been made on the Peabo disaster.
“I urge that the report that was released by the Ministry of Interior in respect of Peabo disaster which was not implemented by the recent past government be implemented as soon as practicable,” the Nsawam/Adoagyiri MP stressed.
By Thomas Fosu Jnr