The North East Regional Minister, Mr. Solomon Namliit Boar has called on the residents of Kunkua in Mamprugu-Moaduri District in the North East region, on the need for attitudinal change with regards to the flooding which has come about as a result of heavy rains and the over spilling of the Bagre Dam, despite the intense sensitization by the officials of NADMO.
As part of the call, he cautioned farmers especially to stay away from farming along water ways.
He made this call when he led the team from the Regional Directorate of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), during a visit to the community to present mattresses, sachets of rice, buckets, cooking oil and used clothing, among other items to the flood victims at Kunkua.
The Minister also called on various international organizations to provide support to the flood victims.
He said, although the government had supplied some relief items, it was not enough to sustain the victims for even a week, and appealed to philanthropists, individuals and organizations to support the victims.
“So we want to use this opportunity to crave the indulgence of the international community, especially organizations that have been involved in supporting the government almost every time that we find ourselves in this situation.”
Mr. Boar added that, the devastation was across the Region including the West and East Mamprusi, Chereponi, Bunkpurugu and Yunyoo Districts.
The flood, which submerged farmlands in about 14 communities in the District, also cut off link roads to nine communities and led to the loss of lives in the Region.
“This is a very terrible situation for us here in the North East Region, especially the Mamprugu-Moaduri enclave. It means that nobody can access any social services in West Mamprusi from the Mamprugu-Moaduri District unless through the Upper East Region.”
He announced that, government was working to tackle the annual flooding situation in the region through the construction of the Pwalugu Multi-Purpose Dam.
“I am very sure that 36 months from now, God willing, we will not be talking about flooding in this area.”
He called on residents of the Region to pay critical attention to information from the Ghana Meteorological Services Department and not take anything for granted as more rains were expected and also urged canoe operators who took it upon themselves to carry people across to other communities to stay away from the water until it receded to avoid deaths in the Region.
Mr Boar was accompanied by Mr Tahiru Tia Ahmed, the Deputy Regional Minister, Mr John Kweku Alhassan, the Regional Director of NADMO and some members of the Regional Security Council.
The MP and his entourage also visited farmlands and roads submerged by the flood waters to get firsthand information on the situation and commiserated with beavered families.