NADMO undertakes pre-flood clean up exercise

31-07-2011

The Upper East Regional Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation, Patrick Akake has given the assurance that his outfit is adequately prepared to deal with any flood situation in the region. His outfit, he indicated, has taken delivery of some relief items in preparation towards any possible flooding in the region and mentioned some of the items as used clothing’s, bags of rice and maize and unspecified packets of roofing sheets. The move he said forms part of measures to reach out to affected flood victims in case of any eventuality. Mr Akake gave the assurance in an interview with Radio Ghana at Bolgatanga during a pre-flood clean up exercise in some flood prone areas in the municipality. Mr. Akake disclosed that his office is in the process of procuring more relief items from the National NADMO headquarters in Accra. He said the region would by next month take delivery of about 8,000 bags of maize from the Tema Harbour whilst his office awaits other consignments from benevolent organizations. Mr. Akake mentioned lack of transportation as a major challenge and appealed to authorities to assist in that regard. He cautioned residents in flood prone communities in the region to be on the alert though contingency measures have been put in place to forestall any flooding situation. Residents living in low lying areas were also asked to relocate to safer grounds since flooding has become an annual ritual that occurs around August and September each year. He therefore cautioned residents to mindful of activities that could cause flooding, particularly, farming along the White Volta Basin. The Municipal NADMO Coordinator, Timothy Anaab also in an interview explained that the pre-flood clean up exercise is in preparation towards possible flooding in communities identified as flood prone areas within the municipality and its catchment area. The exercise, he stressed has become necessary due to the numerous flood alerts and warning systems in the event of spillage from the Bagre dam in Burkina Faso. According to him the region cannot continue to experience high degree of destruction caused by flooding, hence the need for the exercise. He said the government of Ghana through relevant stakeholders like NADMO spent millions of cedis providing food aid, shelter and medical care to victims affected by flood. The flooding situation, he said would defiantly draw the developmental agenda of the country backwards if nothing is done to save its frequent occurrence. Mr. Anaab described the flooding situation in parts of Eastern Region as worrying and urged residents in other flood prone areas to take a cue from the event and desist from activities capable of causing flooding. Meanwhile, officials of NADMO in collaboration with Zoomlion, and other stakeholders embarked on an intensive exercise to desilt the Sawaba drain to allow the free movement of water when it rains heavily. The Assemblyman for Dapotendongo East, Apasana Johnson was highly delighted about the clean up exercise and appealed to the authorities concern to help execute the Sawaba drainage system since the area is at risk of experiencing severe flooding in case of any heavy down pour. He also called on the authorities to award contracts to local contractors so that supervision could be done on daily basis.
GBC END IA/