VRA commits GH₵20m to support 36,000 spillage victims

The Volta River Authority (VRA) has committed GH₵20 million towards alleviating the adverse impact on the affected communities as a result of the unavoidable spillage of excess inflow into the Akosombo and Kpong Dams.

Ing Ken Arthur, Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Services and Dr. Ebenezer Tagoe Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Finance who announced the figure at a media briefing in Accra said current figures collated by National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) stands at about 36,000 people, who have been affected so far

The districts affected include North Tongu, Central Tongu, South Tongu, Anlo and Keta Municipality, in the Volta Region.

The rest are Asuogyaman and Lower Manya Krobo in the Eastern Region, and Shai Osudoku, and Ada East, in  the Greater Accra Region, with Mepe township, in the North Tongu District being the worst hit community.

The officials said VRA has deployed water tankers to consistently make water available to the affected people, provided medical items and personnel to screen and administer medical treatment to emerging health issues as well as provide provided buses, trucks and pick-up vehicles to assist in the internal transportation of both goods and affected people.

5,000 solar lamps distributed

The officials said the damaged community water supply pumps in Aveyime has been restored, a portable water treatment system at the St. Kizito School, a safe haven in Mepe has been installed while VRA with the support of the Ministry of Energy, has distributed 5000 solar lamps to various safe havens. 

According to them, together with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), power supply has been reconnected to the St.  Kizito safe haven in Mepe, Zoom Lion has been contracted to provide mobile toilets, service them, and also to provide sanitation services at the safe havens, an access road has been created in Mepe to the St. Kizito center to avoid accessing by boat and weeds from the Sogakope bridge have been removed to facilitate flow of the river into the ocean.

The VRA officials empathised with all affected persons and pledged their unwavering commitment to work with NADMO and all relevant agencies, to bring relief and assistance for restoration to normalcy.

The Authority deployed an all-hands-on-deck approach and in collaboration with NADMO, the various District Assemblies and other related security and emergency services, working round the clock to ensure the protection of lives  and livelihood in those affected areas, through the evacuation of victims to designated safe havens.

The officials noted that under the leadership of their Chief Executive, Mr. Emmanuel Antwi-Darkwa, the Authority has deployed its Emergency Preparedness Unit, the Community Relations Unit, the Environment and Sustainable Development Team, the VRA Hospitals Team, VRA Security section and others, to the affected communities and they are literally living among them in their respective communities, to experience their issues at firsthand and provide real-time support.

“We have since then intensified efforts to alleviate the pain and discomfort of

the affected people, in this rather difficult situation.

“Acknowledging the many challenges facing the affected communities, VRA and the entire relief team is engaged in regular supply of food items such as  rice, maize, beans, gari, sugar, mackerel, cooking oil, palm oil, tomato paste, groundnut, biscuits, fruit juice, powdered milk and drinking water.

“Other non-food relief items include mosquito repellant creams, mosquito

nets, blankets, mattresses, solar powered lanterns with telephone charging

features, sanitary items and many more.