A Group Called ‘Saglemi Not For Sale’ has joined calls by the Minority in Parliament, Civil Society organisations, Religious Groups and other well-meaning Ghanaians for the government to relocate the Akosombo dam spillage flood victims to the Saglemi housing facility.

In a statement signed by the lead Convener, Nana Otu Darko, the group underscored the importance for the government to take immediate steps to ameliorate and mitigate the devastating damages and destruction that the Akosombo dam spillage has caused to residents in the affected communities.

The group also expressed disappointment in the government’s failure to respond to several calls by Ghanaians to relocate the innocent victims of the Akosombo dam spillage-induced flood.

“Team SAGLEMI not for sale is with the firmest conviction that the unwavering call from these dissenting voices go back to buttress our previous stance of vehemently standing against the sale of SAGLEMI HOUSING PROJECT as it has currently become the obvious saviour in this unfortunate time of distress. We therefore wish to use this medium in adding our unrepentant position and voice to as a matter of immediacy relocate the victims to Idle SAGLEMI built with the hard-earned taxes of the same people suffering this fate.
“With the over 1.7 million housing deficit in Ghana, the least any incumbent government could do especially during a disaster of such magnitude is to hurriedly raise defensible mechanisms to ameliorate or attempt mitigating the negative impact or threat that homelessness poses to the tens of thousands who in the case of the Akosombo spillover have been displaced and plunged into vulnerability”.
Nana Otu Darko

Group Demands Accountability Over Akosombo Dam Spillage

Again, the group urged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to hold the leadership of the Volta River Authority responsible for its poor supervision and management of the Akosombo dam spillage exercise.

The group noted that the flood incident occasioned by the Akosombo dam spillage by the Volta River Authority was an artificial disaster that could have been averted if the leadership of the Volta River Authority had taken appropriate measures before it began the spillage exercise.

Furthermore, the group called on President Akufo-Addo and the New Patriotic administration to declare a state of emergency in the communities that were affected by the Akoosmbo dam spillage in the Volta, Eastern and Greater Accra Region.

“Finally it has become obvious that the situation is bigger than the government can handle. Even the needed materials like simple mini boats are in shortage. Team SAGLEMI not for sale is therefore surprised at the government’s unwillingness and lackadaisical delay to declare a state of emergency so that we can attract foreign grants and other donations from our international and other multinational partners to help mitigate the impact of this self-inflicted wound.
‘In conclusion, we TEAM SAGLEMI NOT FOR SALE believe that Ghana for her age has failed in handling such an emergency and the leadership of the country especially the VRA must be held responsible for that ill administration”.
Nana Otu Darko

Additionally, the group urged all well-meaning Ghanaians to continue supporting residents in the various communities that were severely affected by the Akosombo dam spillage.

Meanwhile, a former Acting Chairperson for the Convention People’s Party, Hajia Hamdatu Ibrahim disagreed with calls for the relocation of victims of the Akosombo dam spillage to the abandoned Saglemi Housing facility.

According to her, it would be against the laws of Ghana for such a thing to occur, describing the move as unlawful.

“I am not sure that is right. We are in a country of law and order.”
Hajia Hamdatu Ibrahim

There have been numerous calls made by individuals and some organisations for the government to consider relocating the victims of the Akosombo dam spillage-induced flood permanently.

According to them, the move by government would provide better homes for victims of the Akosombo dam spillage flood who have been displaced.