The Mepe Development Association (MDA) has expressed its disappointment in the Government of Ghana and President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo following the loud silence on the plight of victims of the Akosombo Dam flood disaster in the 2024 State of the Nation Address.
The Mepe Development Association (MDA) considered the President’s conduct as the highest form of insensitivity and dereliction of duty of care towards the over 40,000 displaced persons under a ‘state-created’ disaster of such devastating magnitude which has sunk many affected persons further down the poverty ladder.
“The MDA notes with regret that four long months after promises by the State and its agencies, the people of the Mepe Traditional Area, by extension the affected Lower Volta communities, have been neglected by the state to fend for themselves. Many have since died due to the shocks and the aftermath of the disaster. Thousands are still left traumatized and several thousand are left homeless.”
Mepe Development Association (MDA)
Additionally, the association highlighted that the inter-ministerial committee chaired by the Chief of Staff has not paid a single familiarization visit to the affected communities to assess the impact of the disaster and engage with traditional and community leaders on the way forward.
The Mepe Development Association (MDA) further stated, “For the benevolence of well-meaning Ghanaians, corporate bodies, NGOs, groups, churches, and indigenes of Mepe both home and abroad, among others, who continue to send their relief support our way, the situation would have been hellish.”
The association stressed that currently, donor fatigue has set in and the displaced persons are on their own without any state support. As a result, the MDA is forced to spend its meager resources on the situation.
“We do not have to state again that the occurrence of the disaster and the subsequent neglect of the State is a structural violence perpetuated by the State against the people of the Lower Volta. The State has forgotten the fact that its social contract with the people, includes the necessity for citizens in the area to have access to decent housing, access to education for children in the area, adequate food for the affected, and affordable health care for the afflicted.”
Mepe Development Association (MDA)
The Mepe Development Association (MDA) alleged that the State has no intention of relocating displaced people from the seven schools including the well-known St. Kizito Senior Technical School that the MDA and the traditional authority used as safe havens.
“There are no intentions to reopen schools to protect children’s education in the Mepe Traditional Area. To make room for the reopening of schools in the traditional area, the MDA and the Traditional Council worked together to relocate over 400 displaced people to Mepe Degorme JHS, which was rebuilt at a significant cost, and additional facilities supplied by an indigenous,” it added.
It emphasized that Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Adutwum (MP) was nowhere to be found in all of the relocation efforts after several appeals made to him to provide support.
“As for the Deputy Director-General of NADMO, Mr. Seji Saji, and his boss, their role in disaster management did not match their big offices. We cannot recount anymore here. The Volta Regional Minister, NADMO, and the North Tongu District Assembly are yet to engage the MDA and the traditional authority to formally hand over the management of the Mepe Degorme havens since the displaced persons were evacuated there on 11th December 2023.”
Mepe Development Association (MDA)
The association stressed that some of its people are still living under very deplorable conditions and sleeping under tents like refugees in their own country under the mercy of the elements.
Where Have the Disaster Recovery Funds Truly Gone?
The association alleged that in the moment of distress, huge sums of funds have been announced in the people’s name for disaster recovery. However, the communities have not received support that telly with the amounts that have been stated.
The Mepe Development Association (MDA) stated “The $40 million World Bank facility announced by the Minister of Agriculture on 18th October 2023 to support farmers whose farms got destroyed by the flood has not been received.”
“The pledge by the former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta on 29th October 2023 of the government’s plan to ring-fence Ghc160 million of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) to rebuild affected communities as well as support displaced households have not been received.”
Mepe Development Association (MDA)
The association further reported that the GHC 220 million relief package announced in Parliament in the budget statement on 15th November 2023 by Ofori-Atta to support the flood victims has not been received.
“The government’s request for funds from the World Bank under the IDA Crisis Response Window (CRW) and the Global Shield Against Climate Risk Fund to support flood victims as contained in paragraphs 29 and 30 on page 5 of the 2024 budget has not been received. Ecowas Commission’s letter on 13th December 2023 to the NADMO boss approving $200,000 per the latter’s request for support to the Akosombo Dam flood victims.”
Mepe Development Association (MDA)
The Mepe Development Association (MDA) called on President Akufo-Addo and the inter-ministerial committee to, as a matter of urgency, respond to the plight of the people which has been exacerbated by the State’s neglect of its duty of care to the victims of this state-created disaster.
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